California has become the first state to provide indigent residents with the right to an attorney in certain civil cases. The law which Governor Schwarzenegger signed is being called "civil Gideon" and provides a right to counsel in child custody, foreclosure and other matters. Click here to read an article discussing the pros and cons of the new law from the Wall Street Journal. This article indicates that the ABA endorsed "civil Gideon" laws back in 2006, but there is a newer article from the October 2009 issue of the ABA Journal which seems to confirm that. The program will be funded by increased filing fees that the state of California hopes will generate about $11 million dollars.