Reaching for Justice: Pine Tree Legal's January Newsletter

Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.

This coming Monday, January 19th, we will close our offices in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his commitment to justice for all.

We are proud to celebrate MLK's life of service and legacy of societal change. He taught us to never waver in our pursuit of justice, and to always continue striving toward a more equitable world for all.

His dream lives on.

Eviction Prevention in 2025

In 2025, landlords across Maine filed nearly 4,400 evictions.

Receiving an eviction notice can have immediate and devastating impacts on tenants. When a judge issues an eviction order, a tenant only has up to nine days to completely move out. For many people, particularly those with small children, this is not sufficient time to find alternate housing and can lead to immediate homelessness.

The struggle to find new housing after becoming evicted can then stretch long into the future. For people who rely on housing subsidies to pay their rent, an eviction on their record may prevent them from accessing subsidized housing for up to five years. Without financial support, they may find themselves unhoused in the longer term.

How Pine Tree Helps Prevent Evictions

We provide free legal assistance to tenants with low incomes who are at risk of or facing eviction. Our services range from legal information and advice, to assistance with paperwork and drafting letters, to full representation in court, administrative hearings, and negotiations with landlords.

Eviction Prevention in 2025

In 2025, our attorneys and paralegals:

Handled nearly 3,000 cases related to eviction.

Fully represented more than 1,300 cases related to eviction.

Reached a favorable outcome for our clients in 97% of the cases that we fully represented.

Helped nearly 2,500 people maintain housing via eviction prevention, including nearly 1,000 children.

Benefits of Eviction Prevention

Preventing an eviction has lasting benefits, particularly for young children who may otherwise fall behind in school or struggle with developmental milestones.

Preventing evictions also makes economic sense. The cost to prevent an eviction at Pine Tree Legal is roughly $525 per household, whereas the annual cost of homelessness ranges from $18,625 to $28,045 per person.

We're proud of our commitment to eviction prevention, and look forward to continuing to fight for housing justice in the year ahead.

We recently welcomed three new staff attorneys!

Vaneska Litz joins our Indigenous Peoples Unit (Machias Office) from Tetra Tech, where she worked on international climate and land rights policy development.

Jeanette Plourde joins our KIDSLegal team (Portland Office) from Disability Rights Maine, where she focused on education and youth matters on behalf of children and young people with disabilities.

Mary Mulcrone joins our Veterans' Unit (Portland Office) from Legal Aid Chicago, where she was a supervisory attorney in their Medical Legal Partnership program for victims of violent crimes.

Please join us in welcoming these talented new members of our staff!

Last month, Maine Lawyers Review featured a case that Pine Tree staff attorney Emma Halas-O'Connor recently won in the Maine Law Court.

In this case, Emma had sued a landlord in small claims court on behalf of two tenants who struggled to retrieve their security deposits after moving out of a rental due to a cockroach infestation. The tenants won their case and were awarded both damages and attorney's fees. The landlord appealed, arguing that the tenants were not entitled to attorney's fees because their damages award of $6,000 already reached the maximum "debt or damage" allowable in a small claims action (the maximum has increased to $10,000 as of Jan. 1).

On appeal, Emma successfully argued that if a plaintiff sues in small claims court and is awarded their attorney's fees, those fees do not count toward the limit set for "debt or damage." This clarification will help promote the enforcement of consumer protection laws like the security deposit statute at issue in this case, and will help more people confidently seek justice without worrying how complex or time consuming their case may become.

Learn more about Maine Lawyers Review

Bangor Daily News recently interviewed Pine Tree Legal staff attorney Peter Hatem about the importance of having a home inspection prior to purchasing a house.

With more than 40 years of experience in housing law, including 15 years working with Pine Tree in different capacities, Peter offered valuable insights for prospective homebuyers who may be considering the largest purchase of their life.

Read the full story

We recently worked with Strega Studios to create a video that illustrates the great need for civil legal aid in Maine, how Pine Tree Legal helps address this need, and the role you can play in our fight for fairness.

Watch it to learn more about the work we do and the growing demand for civil legal aid across the state.

We had a great time meeting with legislators and other community members during Nonprofit Day at the State House this week! We shared a table with other civil legal aid providers in Maine and welcomed the opportunity to discuss how each organization works to fight for justice for all.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by our table, and to the Maine Association of Nonprofits for organizing such a wonderful event!

Donate to Pine Tree Legal Assistance

Donate to the Campaign for Justice

Members of the Maine Bar can support PTLA’s work by donating to the Campaign for Justice, a special collaborative fundraising effort by Maine’s legal community to support legal aid.