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legal aid

More renters facing eviction now have the right to a lawyer : NPR

Baltimore attorney Joseph Loveless with Keisha, a tenant he recently represented in rent court. Maryland is among a growing number of places that guarantee lawyers for low-income renters facing eviction. (Keisha didn’t want to give her last name for fear of retaliation from her landlord.)

Jennifer Ludden/NPR


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Jennifer Ludden/NPR

Baltimore attorney Joseph Loveless with Keisha, a tenant he recently represented in rent court. Maryland is among a growing number of places that guarantee lawyers for low-income renters facing eviction. (Keisha didn’t want to give her last name for fear of retaliation from her landlord.)

Jennifer Ludden/NPR

On a recent Thursday morning, attorney Joseph Loveless arrives at rent court in Baltimore hoping to help someone stay in their home. He was inspired to join Maryland Legal Aid after both the city of Baltimore and the state of Maryland passed laws in 2021 guaranteeing the right to counsel for low-income tenants facing eviction.

“Homelessness is a crisis in this country,” he says. “It’s pretty much trying to stop the bleeding at the source.”

But Loveless doesn’t know whether he’ll get a chance to do that this day.

Two years after the laws passed, there’s still no system to match attorneys with tenants. So Loveless and his colleagues arrive half an hour before the court opens and offer themselves up. “We will be making an announcement basically right in front of the door saying, you know, ‘Everybody who’s waiting to get in, you might want to speak to us first,'” Loveless says.

For most renters, there has been a legal disadvantage

Across the U.S., judges have final say over evictions, and there has long been a major power imbalance in courts: Some 80% of landlords have lawyers, but just 3% of tenants do. Those facing eviction are also disproportionately

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July 10, 2023 by LAW

Environmentalists concerned about Northwest Jax development; Jax Area Legal Aid; Explore Jax Core; Daytona 500

The Jacksonville City Council unanimously approved a development in rural Northwest Jacksonville that’s promising to bring as many as 3,000 housing units, commercial opportunities and recreation.

The nearly 1,500-acre parcel between Acree, Plummer and Old Kings roads is surrounded by conservation areas and a mitigation bank.

Local developer Corner Lot owns the property. The agreement with the city requires developers to preserve wetlands, but environmental activists say the area should be protected.

Guests:

  • Hanna Holthaus, Florida Times-Union reporter.
  • Alexandria Mansfield, Florida Times-Union reporter.

Jax Area Legal Aid

Having clear title to one’s home is often crucial to saving it, whether the threat is from potential foreclosure or a natural disaster. That’s because without a clear title, the homeowner can’t negotiate with lenders or access federal aid, including disaster relief from the Federal Emergency Management Agency or housing assistance through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Jacksonville Area Legal Aid helps families avoid a potential foreclosure and access federal aid after a loved one passes away by helping them clear title through probate. Many people with lower incomes don’t realize they need this help.

Guest: Carol Miller, attorney with Jacksonville Area Legal Aid.

Explore Jax Core

It’s Black History Month, and you can learn more about Jacksonville’s rich Black heritage by taking a tour through the Urban Core on a six-person low speed electric vehicle with Explore Jax Core.

Guest: Yolanda Copeland, founder and CEO of Explore Jax Core.

The Great American Race

Thousands of fans watched as the 75th NASCAR season kicked off at the Daytona 500 over the weekend.

Guest: Josh Torres, WJCT News sports analyst.

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March 27, 2023 by LEGAL

Judge slams Legal Aid for abandoning accused

A Brantford man accused of attempted murder found an unlikely ally in an Ontario Court judge as he was sentenced instead on one count of aggravated assault.

Barry Foster Kelly, 33, admitted to getting into a fight with an acquaintance and stabbing the man repeatedly on Oct. 21, 2021.

The man was treated at a trauma centre for cuts into his chest, including one that was 10-centimetres long and entered his chest cavity.

But Justice Gethin Edward said Kelly ended up being “abused by the criminal justice system” and he laid the blame squarely at the feet of the Legal Aid Ontario.

“Early on, the accused wanted to change lawyers,” said Edward.

“These were serious charges, so it’s not unusual for an accused to realize they need more experienced counsel, yet there was nothing but radio silence to the accused from Legal Aid.”

At one point, the judge said, the case brought Kelly back to court every week for updating. Finally, a Toronto area lawyer, Darren Sederoff, stepped in and made an application to get special funding to handle Kelly’s case.

“Hope is often the only thing that keeps you going in custody, particularly with the conditions at Maplehurst,” said Edward.

“The accused lost that hope due to the way he was treated by Legal Aid and that counts for something, in my view, as far as mitigation.”

The judge added that the delay kept Kelly in pandemic conditions when COVID was more of a concern, time when he was triple-bunked and locked down for months.

Edward said Kelly has no related record, and had waived his right to a trial despite the victim being “currently out of touch with the police” and not ready to testify against him.

There was also no evidence

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March 21, 2023 by LEGAL

Haverhill Arranges for Free Legal Aid for Residents; Program Aims to Address Housing Issues

Free legal help is now available to low-income and other vulnerable Haverhill residents with housing and other issues.

Mayor James J. Fiorentini said Tuesday the city developed and is paying for the program staffed at the Haverhill Citizen’s Center by local lawyers from Northeast Legal Aid. The program kicks off today, March 8, and will run Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from noon to 4 p.m., at the Citizen’s Center, 10 Welcome St., room 13 on the lower level.

The mayor said he has been working on getting the program up and running for several months as part of a package of proposals to address the need for more affordable housing and support residents struggling with rising rental prices.

“When a landlord dramatically increases the rent or is threatening eviction, many times low-income individuals and families don’t have the means for legal advice or help,” Fiorentini said. “There are a lot of heartbreaking stories out there right now, and this is a program where people can go to get help.”

Northeast Legal Aid has been providing free legal services to the poor, indigent and underrepresented for 50 years. The organization offers free legal services for civil cases including housing matters, especially tenant/landlord issues, as well as elder law, family law, consumer protection, disability benefits and education advocacy.

Residents may reach Northeast Legal Aid by calling 978-458-1465 or visiting northeastlegalaid.org.

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March 20, 2023 by LEGAL

Legal aid: Society seeks permission to challenge Raab in court | News

The Law Society has asked the High Court for permission to challenge the government’s actions over criminal legal aid reform – declaring that it will do everything in its power to secure a fair deal for solicitors.

Society president Lubna Shuja said Chancery Lane was left with no choice but to seek permission to bring a claim for judicial review after the government rejected a proposal of independent mediation.

The solicitors’ representative body is seeking a judicial review over the government’s response to the independent criminal legal aid review, which was led by Lord Bellamy, who is now a justice minister.

The review, published towards the end of 2021, recommended an immediate 15% uplift for solicitors and barristers. The government published its final response to the review a year later and said solicitor firms would see a total fee increase of around 11%.

By contrast, last July, the government laid a statutory instrument implementing a 15% uplift in legal aid fees for criminal barristers, which would apply to new cases from 30 September. A few weeks later, to halt the criminal bar’s industrial action, the government agreed to apply the 15% uplift to the vast majority of cases in the Crown court backlog.

Last month director of public prosecutions Max Hill KC secured extra cash from HM Treasury to restore parity between prosecution and defence fees. Criminal Bar Association chair Kirsty Brimelow revealed in a ‘Monday Message’ update that the lord chancellor was supportive of the CBA’s argument to increase prosecution fees.

Hill is believed to have received £30m to restore parity between prosecution and defence fees. Shuja told the House of Commons justice committee in January that £30m was needed to fill the gap between the government’s offer to solicitors and the review’s 15% recommendation.

Shuja said today: ‘The

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March 18, 2023 by LEGAL

Boss of legal aid giant to face SDT on false document charges | News

The former director of one of the country’s biggest legal aid firms will appear before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal later this month. A decision to prosecute John Blavo, who headed national firm Blavo & Co Solicitors Ltd, was published by the Solicitors Regulation Authority today. 

John Blavo will appear before tribunal more than seven years after his firm was shut down

Blavo is alleged to have provided or facilitated the provision of falsified documents to the Legal Aid Agency relating to client files, medical reports and tribunal decisions. It is further alleged that in 2015 he was involved in producing false documents.

The SRA also alleges that Blavo encouraged or gave instructions for the falsification of documents on two client files between 2013 and 2015.

The allegations are subject to a hearing before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal and are as yet unproven. Blavo’s hearing is listed for three days, starting on 13 March.

The SRA’s notice states that the decision to prosecute Blavo was made in December 2018. It is not clear why the case has taken so long to come before the tribunal.

It is now more than seven years since Blavo & Co, which had 18 offices across the country, was shut down by the regulator at a cost of around £800,000. The Court of Appeal ruled in October 2018 that the SRA could pursue Blavo for the money spent shutting down his firm.

Later that same year, the High Court ruled found it was ‘more likely than not’ that ‘systemic fraud’ had taken place in claims by the firm for legal aid.

Mr Justice Pepperall said Blavo should be liable to the lord chancellor over what the judge described as an ‘endemic’ culture of dishonesty. His lawyer had called the allegation that he dishonestly obtained a large percentage of the firm’s turnover ‘inherently implausible’.

John Blavo was admitted to the roll in 1997

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March 17, 2023 by LEGAL

Domestic abuse survivor takes UK justice ministry to court over legal aid | Domestic violence

A single mother and domestic abuse survivor is taking the Ministry of Justice to court this week after being refused legal aid because she was deemed to have no dependents, even though she had applied for the funding to enforce a child custody arrangement.

Susie (not her real name) and her abusive ex-partner initially shared custody of their son equally, but when he breached their agreement, limiting her access, she applied for legal aid to assert her rights.

However, in a decision her lawyers say has wider ramifications for domestic abuse survivors, the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) decided that as her son was not presently living with her, he was not her dependent. The result was that she was not deemed to have costs relating to him which meant the LAA found that her disposable income was too high to qualify for legal aid.

Susie, who is training to be a healthcare professional, said: “I’m trying to get him back from somebody I know is alcohol dependent, so already as a mother, I am super stressed. To then find that actually, I have to tick a box to say I have no child … It’s almost kind of slapping you in the face again.

“It’s just awful because he’s not my dependent according to the LAA, but he is. I want him to be with me because I don’t want him to be in that situation.”

Susie said she lived in a “constant state of anxiety” with her partner, who would abuse her verbally and physically when he had been drinking, and that she still suffered from night terrors. She said she “escaped a relationship which was incredibly abusive; only to be further abused by a legal aid system which vilifies those who are trying to make a home for

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March 16, 2023 by LEGAL

City introduces free legal aid for low-income residents | News

HAVERHILL — The city has launched a free legal assistance program to help low-income and other vulnerable residents with housing and other issues.

Mayor James Fiorentini said the program, which is located at the Citizen’s Center and is staffed by local lawyers from Northeast Legal Aid, is available from noon to 4 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The legal assistance program debuted, March 8, in the Citizen’s Center, Room 13 (lower level), 10 Welcome St.

Fiorentini said free legal aid, funded with federal American Rescue Plan Act money, is part of a package of proposals to address the need for more affordable housing and support residents struggling with rising rental prices.

Free pro bono legal services for civil cases include housing matters, especially tenant/landlord issues, as well as elder law, family law, consumer protection, disability benefits and education advocacy.

“When a landlord dramatically increases the rent or is threatening eviction, many times low-income individuals and families don’t have the means for legal advice or help,” the mayor said. “There are a lot of heartbreaking stories out there right now, and this is a program people can go to for help.”

Northeast Legal Aid is an organization that for 50 years been dedicated to providing free legal services to the poor, indigent and underrepresented.

You can reach Northeast Legal Aid at 978-458-1465 or online at northeastlegalaid.org.

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March 12, 2023 by LEGAL

UK mother unlawfully denied legal aid in case against abusive ex, court rules | Legal aid

A decision to deny a single mother legal aid to enforce a child custody agreement against her abusive ex-partner was unlawful, the high court has ruled.

When Susie (not her real name) separated from her ex-partner, who would physically and verbally abuse her when he had been drinking, they initially shared custody of their son equally. But when he breached their agreement, limiting her access, the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) refused her application for funds because it decided that as her son was not then living with her, he was not her dependant.

However, Mr Justice Andrew Baker ruled on Wednesday that means-testing rules passed by parliament allowed for a dependent to be treated as part of more than one household. As a result, the guidance from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) that a child could be a member of only one household was wrong and unlawful.

He also ruled that, when making its decision, the LAA should have taken into account the fact that Susie needed legal aid to enforce the previous agreement, under which her son had been living in her home more often.

The judgment means that the LAA must reassess whether Susie qualifies for legal aid and the MoJ has to update its guidance to reflect the decision.

Susie said: “I thought that if I left my abusive partner I would be able to enjoy time with my son in a peaceful environment. Instead, my ex-partner managed to coercively control my child into staying with him, so the abuse and control has continued.

“I was sure that I would get legal aid to contest what was happening as I had an extremely low income as well.

“I was absolutely disturbed to find I couldn’t because my child was classed as not a dependent, or part

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March 10, 2023 by LEGAL

Ohio Justice Bus coming to Summit County to provide legal aid and court access

Summit County will host the Ohio Justice Bus, a one-stop shop for legal aid service and court access, on March 15.

The event will be from 11 am to 3 pm at the Akron Bar Association, 57 S. Broadway St. in Akron.

The Ohio Justice Bus provides technology to help address the legal needs of underserved people and is aimed at improving financial security, health and safety.

Summit County Domestic Relations Court Judge Katarina Cook

Summit County Domestic Relations Court Judge Katarina Cook

Summit County Domestic Relations Judge Katarina Cook said those who attend can meet with an attorney for free, file their paperwork and see a judge in the same day.

The domestic court is collaborating with the Summit County Child Support Enforcement Agency, Community Legal Aid, the Victim Assistant Program and Asian Services in Akron.

more:relations court, Victim Assistance outfitting kids’ room;elm:context_link;itc:0″ class=”link “’We want to be prepared’: Domestic relations court, Victim Assistance outfitting kids’ room

Attorneys are needed to assist with the event. Anyone interested may contact Paul Henry, the court’s community outreach director, at 330-643-7845 or [email protected].

The domestic court plans to host the justice bus on a quarterly basis, with the next event expected to be in June.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Free legal aid to be provided at the Ohio Justice Bus stop in Summit

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March 8, 2023 by LEGAL
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