Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, thousands of Montanans have found themselves struggling to pay their rent and facing the possibility of eviction. MLSA has worked hard to help people access the services they need to avoid eviction – including legal information on how to access rental assistance and eviction moratoriums, and legal assistance in the …
In order to preserve public health, MLSA is primarily providing legal services by phone or email: To apply for legal services, please use our online application or call our Helpline at 1-800-666-6899. You can find free legal information and forms for problems related to COVID-19 at MontanaLawHelp.org. MLSA’s offices are closed to the public until …
The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) announced today that MLSA is one of three legal aid organizations that will receive grants totaling $1 million to help low-income communities respond to the impact of COVID-19. LSC’s Midwest Legal Disaster Coordination Project funds efforts to address crucial disaster-related legal needs by establishing partnerships among legal services providers, volunteer …
In response to the devastating rise in evictions during the pandemic, MLSA and the Montana Department of Commerce came together this past fall to develop a new program: the Montana Eviction Intervention Project (MEIP). First launched in October, MEIP provides tenants facing court-ordered eviction with free legal representation, with the goal of helping tenants secure …
MLSA is proud to announce that MLSA staff attorney Kallie Dale-Ramos is the 2020 recipient of the American Bar Association’s SCLAID Centennial Access to Justice Award, which seeks to honor new attorneys for their innovative and exceptional achievements on behalf of their clients and for advancing access to justice. Ms. Dale-Ramos received this award in …
As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to spread across Montana, many Montanans are now facing a new worry: being able to afford rent come April 1. With many workers laid off or forced to take unpaid leave following business and school closures, incomes for many families have plummeted, leaving them unsure of how they will pay …
After Jessie’s daughter died unexpectedly, all she wanted to do was take the best care possible of her grandson, Griffen. Then she got a letter saying his Social Security payments would be cut off, meaning he would not be able to access special services for his autism. She couldn’t afford an attorney. “I’ve always been …
MLSA is excited to announced that we recently received a grant from the Pride Foundation, which works to advance equity and justice for LGBTQ+ people in all communities across the Northwest. The grant will fund MLSA’s new TransForm Project, which aims to increase access to the justice system for transgender individuals and allow MLSA to …
Last month, MLSA joined with the National Consumer Law Center and the student Borrower Protection Center to file a brief before the Montana Supreme Court in support of an appeal by James Reavis, who seeks relief after his federal student loan servicer miscounted his student loan payments for eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness …
MLSA is excited to announce a new self-help program coming to rural communities throughout the state! Developed in conjunction with the Montana Court Help Program and the Office of the Court Administrator, Court Help Connect places computer workstations at libraries and community centers starting in Anaconda and Dillon. The workstations, which include a laptop, printer, …
