The South Carolina Supreme Court has given the green light to the NAACP branch in the state to train non-lawyer volunteers in providing limited legal assistance to tenants facing eviction, ruling that this initiative does not constitute unauthorized practice of law.
Approved on a provisional basis for three years, the program aims to address the acute shortage of lawyers in South Carolina and the pressing issue of eviction among tenants. Brenda Murphy, president of the South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP, emphasized the significance of this ruling in ensuring tenants have the necessary guidance to navigate eviction proceedings.
This decision follows a legal battle initiated by the South Carolina NAACP against the state’s attorney general, asserting that applying unauthorized practice of law rules to their program would impinge upon First Amendment rights. With the state Supreme Court’s approval, the NAACP withdrew its federal lawsuit.
