For All

Many of us may not have recited the Pledge of Allegiance since we were in school, but the words “with liberty and justice for all” continue to resonate—and set an ambitious goal.  Although the Supreme Court and the federal judiciary tend to capture the public’s attention, more than 95% of the court cases in this country are adjudicated in state and local courts—making them key to realizing the promise of “justice for all.”

The sheer volume of cases that flow through those courts—66 million in 2022—led The Pew Charitable Trusts to examine how those courts function and how they can better serve the public. Our initial research provided some surprising data: up to 1 in 4 civil cases before state and local courts today are about debt collection, and in 7 out of 10 of those cases, the person being sued doesn’t show up in court.

The reasons for missing a court date vary. The person being sued may have child care issues or be unable to leave work—or, as the research has found, may not have known that they were being sued at all. As detailed in this issue of Trust, the methods for serving notice to those being sued vary—and are often ineffective. In debt cases, it can be more complicated; often the entity suing someone for an unpaid bill is a company that has purchased the debt from someone else—a medical center, say, or another business—so the person doesn’t recognize it as someone they could owe money.

“People often miss important filing deadlines or their court dates because the legal process creates barriers to their participation or to understanding the consequences of missing court,” says Pew’s Erika Rickard, who oversaw the research. When someone doesn’t show up, they receive a default judgment and can face wage garnishment or even arrest. And when they do show up, most lack legal representation while facing experienced lawyers for the other side.

That’s why Pew is working with judges and court experts to find new ways to increase the likelihood that people get their day in court. In Tennessee, for example, the courts are turning to text messages to notify people about when they are expected to appear, not unlike the reminders we receive for doctor or dentist appointments. And courts in that state are establishing new mediation systems to help people resolve their debt without a trial. This helps ensure that debts are paid—and that individuals’ lives aren’t thrown into turmoil.

Another challenge Americans face is saving for their retirement. Data shows that people who have access to retirement savings at work are 15 times more likely to save than people who do not. Nationwide, 56 million people lack access to a retirement savings program, often because their workplace doesn’t offer one. So Pew has been working to help establish auto-IRA programs, administered by states, that allow employees at small businesses to build retirement nest eggs. Providing data, analysis, and technical assistance to state officials, we’ve watched a growing number of states launch these programs. Today, 17 states have these programs in varying stages of readiness. In eight of them, workers have already accrued $1.7 billion in retirement savings.

Our research shows that when workers are more financially secure, they’ll rely less on taxpayer-funded government programs in retirement and are better able to withstand financial shocks.

That sense of security is another goal worth working for—and for the Indigenous communities of Alaska, a renewed feeling of security has come from conserving the lands and waters and wildlife that provide their daily sustenance.

“We rely heavily on the land and sea,” Frank Katchatag, president of the Native Village of Unalakleet and first vice chairman of the Bering Sea Interior Tribal Commission, says in this issue.

Katchatag grew up in Unalakleet, a remote Iñupiaq village in the western Arctic that is accessible only by plane. Its 800 residents rely heavily on moose, caribou, reindeer, wild berries, and salmon—food that can be frozen, canned, and dried for use throughout the year.

Thanks to a recent decision by the U.S. Department of Interior, 28 million acres of traditional Tribal lands that were safeguarded under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act— then threatened again—will maintain their federal protection. Over the last decade, Pew has supported Indigenous-led conservation, including the more than 200 Tribal Nations in Alaska that joined together to ensure that the wildlife, vegetation, watersheds, and fish populations that have sustained them physically and culturally for centuries would continue to be protected from development.

Helping people navigate life’s challenges and achieve economic security are central to Pew’s goal of helping individuals and communities thrive. Both in the United States and globally, our reliance on data and research provides a foundation of facts to help decision-makers find common ground and work toward effective solutions.