(iPoster) No Show, No Justice: Examining Race, Poverty, and Place in Non-Payment Cases

• In Event: Poster Session: Judicial Politics & Public Administration
  In Poster Session: Poster Session: Judicial Politics

Abstract

This paper examines how race, poverty, and geographic location shape access to civil justice in housing cases in New York City for non-payment of rent. It focuses on non-appearances and default judgments in housing court, which occur when tenants or landlords fail to appear in court or respond to legal notices. By investigating why individuals in low-income neighborhoods with high concentrations of people of color disproportionately do not appear or receive default judgments, this research highlights how systemic barriers and legal information gaps uniquely disadvantage these populations.

This research uses a mixed-methods approach and combines quantitative data from the Housing Data Coalition—tracking filings, appearance rates, and borough-specific trends—with qualitative insights from interviews with tenants, civil legal aid lawyers, and individuals working in the housing rights advocacy space. Through quantitative analysis, we see patterns of non-appearance and their correlation with socioeconomic and racial demographics. Qualitative findings illuminate concealed barriers, such as lack of childcare, transportation challenges, and misinformation, which exacerbate disparities in access to justice.

New York City serves as a compelling case study due to its high eviction rates, racial diversity, financial inequality, and as the first U.S. city to implement right-to-counsel (RTC) laws. This research argues that systemic and individual-level barriers to housing court participation perpetuate inequality, offering lessons for policymakers seeking to close the civil justice gap. These findings relate to broader implications of access-to-civil-justice policies in urban cities.

Author

• Olivia Lombardo, Yale University