Reply #38: Even in a civil case, unpopular causes have a right to their day in court.

[Jim Lane]

The obstacle to justice for many people with unpaid health insurance claims is, as you note, economic. They can't afford to hire counsel and the Legal Aid lawyers are underpaid and overworked.

The DOMA defenders don't have that problem, but they have a different problem. If any lawyer who represents them is going to be harassed and vilified, and the lawyer's phone number is going to be circulated so that people who don't like the client can pester the lawyer, then that will also be an impediment to justice.

When the Bush administration was trying to panic the nation by hurling wild accusations at Gitmo detainees, some lawyers came forward to defend the accused. They were denounced by right-wingers. The DUers who go after King & Spaulding are doing the same thing as those Bushbots did.