December 11, 2023

Dear Mr. Cook,

For the first time in Pisgah Legal Services’ 45-year history as a non-profit law firm, I am writing you and ten other
county managers in Western North Carolina to inform you that Pisgah Legal Services’ Board of Directors may have
to reduce services to very low-income residents of your county unless substantial funding can be obtained from
the counties and/or the State of North Carolina through the upcoming budget process. Free civil legal services may
have to be cut because of the expiration of several multi-year federal grants that paid for work to stop child abuse
and domestic violence. Pisgah Legal Services is now experiencing the loss of approximately $1 million per year in
such grants.

In Mitchell County, Pisgah Legal Services assisted 79 children and 67 adult victims of abuse so far in 2023. This legal
work helps victims of abuse escape and live apart from their abusers, including assistance with court protective
orders, custody, securing housing and marital property, separation agreements. Without funding to replace the
federal grants, this number could be reduced substantially in 2024. This would mean fewer victims break the
generational cycle of abuse, and that more children will require foster care, experience learning challenges, and
incur higher health care requirements. Law enforcement is likely to have to intervene more often in domestic
violence and child abuse situations. The impact on public safety costs and safety net programs may be a strain on
your county services rather than reducing them.

To sustain these vital services, each county needs to budget for its share of the costs of free civil legal services to
stop abuse. That would mean putting $18,226 in the county’s FY 25 budget to contract with Pisgah Legal Services
for our holistic and proven services.

I am also asking each county’s commissioners to ask their state legislators to fund this work going forward, as early
as the FY’25 budget. Most states provide millions of dollars to support free civil legal services to help people meet
basic needs and break the cycle of violence, but not North Carolina.

My office will contact your assistant in the coming days to schedule an appointment for me to meet with you to
discuss this serious situation. I need your advice in presenting our case to your commissioners for the upcoming
budget.

Sincerely,

James Barrett

Standing for Justice and Dignity since 1978.

Asheville | Brevard | Burnsville | Franklin | Hendersonville | Highlands & Cashiers | Marshall | Morganton | Newland | Rutherfordton | Spruce Pine | Waynesville
P.O. Box 2276 | Asheville, NC 28802 | www.pisgahlegal.org | phone 828.253.0406 | fax 828.252.8927