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SB 798

Boyd-Graves Conference, et al.; work group to address legal deserts within the Commonwealth, report.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Tammy Mulchi

Virginia establishes a work group to study legal services gaps in underserved areas and recommend solutions to improve public access to attorneys.

Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
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Bill Summary · SB 798

Legislative bill overview

SB 798 establishes a work group convened by the Boyd-Graves Conference to study and address "legal deserts"—geographic areas within Virginia lacking adequate access to legal services. The bill requires the work group to analyze the problem and submit findings and recommendations to the General Assembly.

Why is this important

Legal deserts leave low-income and rural Virginians unable to afford or access attorneys for critical matters like housing, family law, and consumer disputes. Addressing this gap could improve access to justice for underserved populations and potentially reduce court backlogs and social costs associated with unrepresented parties.

Potential points of contention

  • Funding and implementation: The bill creates a study mechanism but does not specify how recommendations would be funded or implemented, potentially creating unfunded mandates for courts or legal services providers
  • Scope definition: "Legal deserts" lacks a precise definition in the bill summary, which could lead to disagreement over which areas qualify and what solutions are viable
  • Feasibility of solutions: Rural legal service expansion is challenging due to low population density and limited attorney availability; recommendations may prove impractical without significant state investment or regulatory changes

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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