Advocating with Passion and Purpose
JUNE 2020
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5th ANNUAL IGNITE THE NIGHT
Roast of
Mickey Maurer
You don't want to miss this year's Roast being held on Thursday, September 24, 2020, where we will we be roasting the incomparable
Mickey Maurer
at the Crane Bay Event Center in Indianapolis.
Tickets are $300 and includes an open bar, an exceptional dinner, plenty of parking, and much comic relief!
For more information about the event and
how to buy tickets or sponsor
, click
HERE
!
Funds raised at the Roast will boost vitally needed operating funds for Indy Legal Aid. These funds help us increase the number of under-served individuals and families that we serve in Central Indiana.
All CDC and local health department guidance will be followed in order
to ensure a safe and enjoyable evening for all.
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June Success Story
The circumstances surrounding a recent case resolved by the Indianapolis Legal Aid Society serve as a reminder of the importance that the citizens of our community have immediate access to legal advice and assistance. Sometimes, time is of the essence.
(A
ll names in quotation marks have been changed in accord with the confidentiality owed the client)
Our client, who we will call “Julie”, is the mother of a seven-year-old daughter, “Mary”. She had resided with the father of Mary, “Andrew” for all of the child’s life, but Julie and Andrew had never married. Due to circumstances existing at the time Mary was born, the parents had never executed a paternity affidavit to establish that Andrew was Mary’s father.
Sadly, Andrew was murdered late last year. One of Julie’s friends pointed out that she should look into pursuing Social Security survivor’s benefits for Mary, which she did. That was when she discovered that without a paternity determination, the child would not be entitled to such benefits. Mary contacted the Marion Count Paternity Court in an effort to start a paternity case, and the court staff referred her to the Indianapolis Legal Aid Society.
Fortunately, Mary did not delay in looking after her child’s interests. In Indiana, the law states that a paternity case
must be filed within five months of the date of the death of the alleged father, or else the suit is time barred. Had she not been able to get the case filed in time, the child would have been unable to obtain Social Security survivor’s benefits, would not have been entitled to pursue any damages related to the death of her father, and would have been foreclosed from any right of inheritance from her father’s extended family.
In this case, however, attorney Jonathan Stewart of the Indianapolis Legal Aid Society was able to get the case filed Mary’s behalf well within the time limit. Paternity was established shortly thereafter, despite the difficulties presented by the COVID-19 restrictions. Thus, one tragedy was not compounded by another, and Mary will have the benefit of her father’s Social Security earnings after all.
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Indy Legal Aid Covid-19 Update
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As of June 16, Indy Legal Aid staff is back in the office and taking many precautions to stay safe, as you can see from the photo of Indy Legal Aid attorney, Jonathon Stewart. We wear masks, take our temperature every morning, remain six-feet apart, and use sanitizing products liberally.
There has not been a date set when we will begin seeing the public in our office. However, when that time comes, all attorneys will have a plastic shield attached to their desks to protect both attorney and client. We are looking so forward to the day we open our door and meet clients face-to-face.
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Indy Legal Aid/Holy Family Shelter Program
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Indy Legal Aid has always taken a holistic approach regarding working with clients so a program with Holy Family Shelter is a natural manifestation of our actions and philosophy.
Our partnership with Holy Family Shelter is a pilot program with 10 families from Holy Family Shelter where
we will work with the shelter's case managers to determine the barriers that prevent economic and social stability. Indy Legal Aid will provide legal representation focused on these barriers, such as legal issues of housing, family law, and driver's license reinstatement.
Indy Legal Aid attorney, Jennifer Hammond, will spearhead the program. Jennifer is a perfect fit for this effort as
she was a child welfare social worker with the Marion County Office of Family and Children (now DCS) where home-based counseling services and case management was provided. Jennifer also worked as a Family Aide while attending the IU School of Social Work and assisted families in securing resources, such as government benefits, housing and food, and supervised visitation with their children.
"We're thrilled to be working with case managers as this dynamic allows us to be aware of all the client's needs and use a team-based approach to meet not only the legal, but the social needs of each client," said John Floreancig, Indy Legal Aid CEO and General Counsel.
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Indy Legal Aid Staff Attend Legal Community's Juneteenth
Call to Action for Racial Equality
On Friday, June 19, several Indy Legal Aid staff attended a “Call to Action” on the north lawn of the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law to highlight the role lawyers can play in the push for racial equality. The event featured speakers from the law school, the Marion County Bar Association and private practice, as well as Indiana Supreme Court Justice Steven David.
During the event, the speakers each made an “ask” of attendees. Those requests are posted online at
lawyersforblacklives.com, where members of the legal community can review the speakers’ asks as they work to assist the movement for racial equality.
Pictured are attorneys Emily Browning and Rick Dyar and paralegal Sarah Harvey.
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Indy Legal Aid has a number of volunteer opportunities for attorneys, students, and the general public. For attorneys, we have pro bono cases, internships for students, and our spring and fall events, along with
light office work.
For more information, click
here
.
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We have several ways for you to make a difference in the lives of our most vulnerable Hoosiers in Central Indiana. Approximately $.90 of every dollar donated to Indianapolis Legal Aid Society is directly used to provide programs and services. For more information, click
here
.
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615 N Alabama St, Suite 122
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 635 - 9538
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Monday - Friday
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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"The Indianapolis Legal Aid Society is dedicated to ensuring that qualified low-income persons living in the Central Indiana community have access to quality legal assistance for civil disputes."
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