公益性服务 Lawyer Helps Ease Young Mother’s Fear
D.C. residents who cannot afford a lawyer face a daunting challenge if a legal problem arises. D.C. 酒吧 公益性服务 Center’s monthly Saturday 建议 & 咨询诊所 is a lifeline for low-income District residents.
On a recent Saturday morning, Ms. Y*走进了建议店 & 咨询诊所, fearing that her infant daughter’s paternal grandparents would try to take the child out of the county. The grandparents already had asked the mother to make them the child’s guardians. Ms. Y could not afford an attorney, so she was forced to prepare to file a custody case on her own.
A volunteer attorney met with Ms. Y, listened to her concerns, and explained to her what she should expect at the upcoming hearing. 尽管建议 & 咨询诊所 offers brief legal advice, 信息, 和推荐, the volunteer asked if she could continue to help Ms. Y. The 公益性服务 Center said “of course” and placed the case with the volunteer through the 宣传 & 司法诊所及, as it does for all full representation cases, connected the volunteer with an expert family law mentor.
志愿者听到了. Y’s concerns, calmed her anxieties, and brainstormed a path forward. Thanks to the pro bono attorney’s advocacy, in a process focused on the baby’s best interests, 法院判决. Y primary physical custody, as well as protection against any attempt to relocate her child.
结果就像Ms. Y’s pro bono attorney achieved can save a family and transform a child’s life. In addition to the thousands of other District residents the 公益性服务 Center serves each year through other clinics and programs, the Center connects more than 250 individuals and families with volunteer lawyers for full representation in critical cases like Ms. Y’s. Please remember that voluntary contributions from D.C. 酒吧 members like you support the transformative services critical to Ms. Y and thousands of our neighbors.
2020年4月
