Daily Briefs

36th District Court issues moratorium on evictions due to the coronavirus


Effective immediately, the 36th District Court has issued a moratorium on evictions due to the coronavirus.

Chief Judge William C. McConico stated, “This is a difficult period for our entire community, and in an effort to avoid any additional hardship for those affected, it is important that we halt residential evictions at this time. As everyone is strongly encouraged to practice social distancing and, if applicable, self-quarantine, during this period, it would be unwise and mean-spirited to remove people from their homes until this threat has passed.”

The court had previously announced further measures to address the threat of coronavirus. For more information on the Court’s coronavirus contingency plan, please visit https://www.36thdistrictcourt.org/.

 

ABA Free Legal Answers reaches milestone with 100,000 inquiries
 

The American Bar Association web program ABA Free Legal Answers, which gives income eligible users the ability to pose civil legal questions to volunteer attorneys, surpassed 100,000 inquiries earlier this month.

In less than four years, 41 states and more than 7,000 attorneys nationally have committed to participating in Free Legal Answers, which serves as a virtual legal advice clinic. Of those, 87 attorneys in 2019 handled at least 50 civil legal questions each and are recognized as 2019 Pro Bono Leaders.

“The milestone of reaching 100,000 questions for ABA Free Legal Answers underscores the need for expanding free and affordable civil legal services,” ABA President Judy Perry Martinez said. “The ABA is pleased to know people are using this free service and proud of our thousands of volunteer lawyers nationwide who are helping to meet their important legal needs.”

Geared to expand legal services for low-income communities, users of the service must meet income eligibility guidelines applicable to each state. While expanding access to legal services, ABA Free Legal Answers also expands pro bono opportunities for attorneys in a convenient way to match their schedules.

Legal guidance is limited to non-criminal matters and takes place entirely online. More than four out of 10 questions relate to family and children legal matters (42%). Next in the volume of questions, 14% of the inquiries stem from housing and homelessness while consumer/finance questions amount to 11%.

The national program began through consolidating on the web existing programs in some states. It then expanded by helping other states establish their own programs. Nationally, attorneys can volunteer their services by navigating to www.ABAFreeLegalAnswers.org and selecting “Volunteer Attorney Registration.” ABA Free Legal Answers is a project of the ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service.



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