Many states and counties do not offer lawyers to the poor in major civil disputes, and in some criminal ones as well. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/16/us/16gideon.html?ref=us The promise inherent in the 1963  Gideon v. Wainwright  ruling  that those accused of a crime have a constitutional right to a lawyer whether or not they can afford one remains unfulfilled because so many legal needs still go unmet. Civil matters — including legal issues like home foreclosure, job loss, spousal abuse and parental custody — were not covered by the decision.  “Some of our most essential rights — those involving our families, our homes, our livelihoods — are the least protected,” “Most Americans don’t realize that you can have your home taken away, your children taken away and you can be a victim of domestic violence but you have no constitutional right to a lawyer to protect you.” The United States ranks 66th out of 98 countries in access to and affordability of civil legal services. “You couldn’t find a lawyer to help you even if you had the money because there isn’t a dime to be made in those cases.”
A man in Baltimore lost his job in the recession and fell way behind on support payments for his four children. In 2011, he was jailed after a court proceeding without a lawyer in which he said he could not pay what he owed. He was brought back to court, shackled, every month or two. Each time, he said he still could not pay. Each time, he was sent back. A year later, he contacted a public defender who handles only criminal cases but who sent his case to the Southern Center for Human Rights. A lawyer there, got him released that same day, helped him find work and set up a payment plan.  “In most cases, they simply can’t pay. As a sheriff, I want criminals in my jail, not a debtor’s prison.”  said John Daughtrey.
“If we could extend the right to a lawyer to civil procedures where you face a loss of liberty, that would be good,” Judge Perkins said. “Lawyers can get affidavits from employers and help make cases for those who can’t pay.”
A man in Baltimore was accused of shining a laser at a police officer and assigned bail of $75,000,. When he eventually faced a judge with the help of a public defender, bail was slashed to $200 cash
“For the poor, bail is a jail sentence,”