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| Release: | Immediate |
| Media Contact: | Thomas Miller - Program Administrator, The Florida Bar |
| Phone: | (850) 561-5621 |
| Email: | TMiller@flabar.org |
| Contact: | Jason Fujioka |
| Phone: | (312) 988-6128 |
| Email: | fujiokaj@staff.abanet.org |
| Online: | www.abanews.org |
Free Legal Assistance Available for Florida Hurricane Victims
Partnership among ABA, Florida legal organizations and FEMA to help residents
CHICAGO, Sept. 25, 2008 — A toll-free legal aid line is now available for victims of recent hurricanes in Florida. The service, which allows callers to request the assistance of a lawyer, is a partnership between The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Victims facing legal issues who are unable to afford a lawyer may call (866) 550-2929 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. (EDT) Monday through Friday to request assistance. Callers should identify that they are seeking hurricane-related legal assistance. Victims who qualify for assistance will be matched with volunteer Florida lawyers to provide free legal help.
The type of legal assistance available includes:
- Assistance with securing FEMA and other government benefits available to disaster victims
- Assistance with life, medical and property insurance claims
- Help with home repair contracts and contractors
- Replacement of wills and other important legal documents destroyed in the disaster
- Assisting in consumer protection matters, remedies and procedures
- Counseling on mortgage-foreclosure problems
- Counseling on landlord/tenant problems
Background
When the U.S. president declares a major disaster, FEMA, in cooperation with the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, establishes a toll-free number for disaster victims to request legal assistance. Funding for the toll-free line comes from FEMA under the authority of Section 415 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Public Law 100-707). The American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division in turn partners with state bar associations and other legal organizations to recruit volunteer lawyers in affected areas to handle victims’ cases.
Victims should be aware that there are some limitations on disaster legal services. For example, assistance is not available for cases that will produce a fee (i.e., those cases where attorneys are paid part of the settlement by the court). Such cases are referred to a local lawyer referral service. To determine whether an issue qualifies for free legal assistance, individuals should call (866) 550-2929 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. central time Monday through Friday for more information.
Other Legal Assistance Available
The Florida Attorney Savings Homes program provides a staffed hotline (866) 607-2187, from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The hotline serves to assist Floridians hoping to avoid foreclosure, and an online intake form is also now available to assist homeowners.
The Florida Bar - The Florida Bar is the organization of all lawyers who are licensed by the Supreme Court of Florida to practice law in the state, and has over 84,000 members. The Florida Bar provides many other services to members and the public, including publishing legal periodicals, administering a public information program, providing ethics and law office management advice, and sponsoring conferences and meetings.
American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (ABA YLD) –The American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, composed of approximately 147,000 members, is the home of young lawyers. The Division is committed to assuring that the legal profession reflects the society it serves and to providing the tools and opportunities that young lawyers need to succeed both professionally and personally.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) – FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror. Through an agreement with the American Bar Association, FEMA underwrites the cost of operating toll free legal assistance lines for victims in areas designated as federal disaster sites.
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