When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit, thousands of Montanans suddenly found themselves in an impossible situation: how to pay their rent in the face of lost wages from illness and closed worksites. These disruptions have continued, while housing and rent costs have skyrocketed, leaving Montanans vulnerable to eviction and homelessness. The Montana Eviction Intervention Project …
Born with a developmental disability, Nick lived in a group home for adults and relied on his parents to pay for his care. Both Nick and his parents considered him very lucky to live there: as a working ranch, the group home gives him the opportunity to work with animals and be a part of …
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 …
When Callie first realized she needed legal help, she was desperate. Even though she was only 32, she had been diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer and was struggling to cope with the treatments. At the same time, her home life was deteriorating as her husband became increasingly abusive and violent. Callie couldn’t risk losing …
Jason reached out to MLSA for help after he decided he wanted to end his abusive marriage. He found filing the paperwork to end his marriage on his own to be an overwhelming task, so MLSA assigned his case to a volunteer attorney, who also works as an MLSA staff attorney. The attorney helped guide …
When a Montana couple were facing eviction, they nearly became homeless for one reason: they couldn't afford to pay $60 in court fees that would allow them to respond to their eviction notice in court. They tried to file for a fee waiver based on their lack of income, but when the judge denied their …
