The Legal Services Corporation got a fast start in the federal budget process Wednesday after the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee approved a large financial boost of $550 million to the civil legal aid organization.
Brenda Davis and Franci Gartin know a home can be a place to rest from the struggles of daily living. The two Indianapolis women were settled into their houses, arranged and as welcoming as they each wanted. But then the struggles of the outside world invaded, and they found themselves in danger of losing their own domiciles.
Proponents of providing Americans equal access to justice through civil legal aid have once again found themselves defending that cause against the Trump administration, which proposes for the third time eliminating federal funding for civil legal aid.
A dispute that could have a far-reaching impact on the sizable rent-to-own housing market in the Hoosier state was presented to the Indiana Supreme Court on Thursday morning with attorneys arguing over the nature of the rent-to-own contract.
Tangram, a nonprofit in Indianapolis that provides support for individuals with disabilities, joined forces in 2016 with Indiana Legal Services to launch the Providing Legal Assistance to Individuals with Disabilities initiative. PLAID assistance has since improved the lives of hundreds of clients statewide.
The Indiana Supreme Court granted transfer to two cases last week, including a rent-to-own contract dispute that Indiana Legal Services claims could adversely impact Hoosier tenants across the state if not reviewed by the high court.
A recent study examined 12 separate legal services agencies around Indiana and calculated the organizations’ social return on investment. The group dug into the financials for the year 2017 and concluded that for every $1 invested in Indiana legal aid that year, the state received $6.70 in immediate and long-term financial benefits.
The Coalition for Court Access recently launched the website Indianalegalhelp.org. Now, Hoosiers needing help with a divorce, child custody issue, eviction or other civil legal problems have a new place to find answers and additional resources without having to make a phone call, schedule an appointment or even drive to a courthouse.
It is imperative that our legal system work on sustainable solutions to the opioid crisis. This epidemic is not only a major public health crisis — it also creates a variety of civil legal challenges.
As the need for civil legal aid continues to outstrip the resources to provide representation, Legal Services Corporation maintains that collaborating and partnering with other nonprofits can boost the ability to reach more low-income people and families.
The Indiana Supreme Court is preparing to ask for an increase in civil legal aid funding when the Indiana General Assembly convenes for the 2019 session. The request will come as legal aid nonprofits try to diversify their donor base while looking for new ways to help the steady flow of people in need.
Jacqueline “Jackie” Leverenz was young and just married when she started at Indianapolis Legal Aid Society on Oct. 31, 1958. Ida Hayes was divorced with children to support when she began at Indiana Legal Services on Nov. 22, 1966. Today, the two women serve as office managers, bookkeepers, secretaries, problem-solvers and attorney cheerleaders while, combined, they have worked in legal aid for more than 110 years.
The Indiana State Bar Association and Indiana Legal Services are offering free legal assistance to victims of recent severe storm flooding in southeast and northwest Indiana.
The Legal Services Corporation’s Opioid Task Force, which is examining the role of civil legal aid in addressing the opioid epidemic, is scheduled to convene in Indianapolis in October for the first of three field hearings.
Victims of recent severe storms and flooding in southeast and northwest Indiana can get legal help from a toll-free hotline thanks to a joint effort between the Indiana State Bar Association and Indiana Legal Services.
Indiana Congresswoman Susan Brooks and Indiana Legal Services executive director Jon Laramore will be part of a Legal Services Corporation panel discussion Wednesday on the opioid epidemic.
Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush will be part of a panel discussion on the opioid crisis at the Legal Service Corporation’s annual Forum on Increasing Access to Justice in Washington, D.C. Rush and Jay Chaudhary, managing attorney of Indiana Legal Services, will be among the participants on the Access to Justice and the Opioid Epidemic panel.
We’re grateful to the Indianapolis Bar Association and to its members. You support our work through your financial contributions and your pro bono efforts.
A federal funding boost that created increased hourly rates for federal public defenders has also caused an increase in compensation maximums for non-capital federal defenders.
With the just-passed federal spending bill putting an extra $25 million into the Legal Services Corporation’s coffers, Indiana Legal Services is anticipating a raise in funding to help with its work in providing civil legal assistance to indigent individuals and families across the Hoosier state.