When the legal system is setup to rely so heavily on money that even the government can't go against it, you know shit is bad, yo.
Also, say what you will, but the US situation right now, this matter included, is definitely "novel and thought provoking" so if this thread is flagged, I am not convinced the people flagging it are doing it just because of HN rules.
But this problem, that money determines effective outcome of legal proceedings is a global problem. And for the same reason as here: governments not protecting people because they refuse to spend the money (and, really, it's not so much about money, it's about effort).
Read about child protection in court, "pre-trial" incarceration in New York (which I guess is in the US, yes), what happened to lawyers in the Netherlands, what's happening to social service court claims in France (ie. the government, who are defendants here, just walked out of the courtroom ... and the judge refuses to convict them), ... there's an endless list here.
Also, say what you will, but the US situation right now, this matter included, is definitely "novel and thought provoking" so if this thread is flagged, I am not convinced the people flagging it are doing it just because of HN rules.