Archives: Access to Justice

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Local bar associations celebrated for improving legal assistance to low-income Texans

Bar associations from around the state were honored for their commitment to access to justice issues on July 22 during the State Bar of Texas 2023 Local Bar Leaders Conference in Houston. Terry O. Tottenham, a commissioner on the Texas Access to Justice Commission and past president of the State Bar of Texas, presented the … Continue Reading

Texas Access to Justice Commission renews statewide legal clinic initiative for Texas veterans

In cooperation with legal service providers and local bar associations, the Texas Access to Justice Commission, or TAJC, has renewed its statewide legal clinic initiative to provide civil legal assistance to veterans. Texas veterans can visit free, in-person legal clinics during June in several locations throughout the state. Volunteer attorneys will offer one-on-one advice and … Continue Reading

Texas Access to Justice Foundation Executive Director Betty Balli Torres receives Emily C. Jones Lifetime Achievement Award

The Texas Access to Justice Commission, or TAJC, honored Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF, Executive Director Betty Balli Torres with the Emily C. Jones Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to improving Texans’ access to justice during the Champions of Justice Gala on April 25 in Austin. This award, named after the TAJC’s … Continue Reading

Supreme Court approves forms that help Texans create their own wills

The Supreme Court of Texas has debuted new forms that allow individuals representing themselves to create a will. The forms are the result of a change in state law passed by the 84th Texas Legislature and signed by the governor. They assist a person who is single, married, widowed, or divorced and those with or without … Continue Reading

Texas Legal Services Center launches statewide virtual court kiosk project to improve Texans’ access to legal aid services

The Texas Legal Services Center, or TLSC, a nonprofit organization funded by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, launched on April 24 the Virtual Court Access Project, a statewide pilot project aiming to improve low-income Texans’ ability to receive free legal services through deploying accessible, virtual court kiosks to communities. The kiosks act as virtual … Continue Reading

State Bar of Texas Hispanic Issues Section, Texas Access to Justice Foundation raise more than $46,000 with 3rd annual LAWTería game night

Co-sponsored by the State Bar of Texas Hispanic Issues Section and the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF, the 3rd annual “LAW”Tería game night raised more than $46,000 to benefit the newly opened Uvalde office of Texas RioGrande Legal Aid. The event, which was held via Zoom on November 1, 2022, included judges and … Continue Reading

Wells Fargo joins TAJF’s prime partner bank program to boost funding for legal aid in Texas

The Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF, the largest state-based funding source for civil legal aid, announced Wells Fargo has joined the TAJF’s Prime Partner bank program, a significant step toward making legal assistance more accessible for thousands of Texans. Funding from this program helps TAJF provide legal aid services to more than 100,000 Texans across … Continue Reading

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid opening new office in Uvalde with funding from the Texas Access to Justice Foundation

Following the tragedy at Robb Elementary School that increased the community’s need for free civil legal aid services, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, or TRLA, on Monday announced the opening of a new civil legal aid office located in Uvalde. The new office is funded by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF, which will … Continue Reading

Texas Access to Justice Foundation awarded additional $20 million to provide free housing legal services

The Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF, announced it received an additional $20 million in funding from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, or TDHCA, to continue the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. The state’s largest funding source for civil legal aid, TAJF was granted the first $20 million in August 2021 to help … Continue Reading

Texas Access to Justice Foundation creates new fellowship to serve veterans

The Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF, which provides grant funding for civil legal aid in Texas, announced the creation of the Terry O. Tottenham Veterans Justice Fellowship. The fellowship honors veteran, current TAJF Secretary, and former State Bar of Texas President Terry O. Tottenham, who is of counsel at Norton Rose Fulbright in Austin. … Continue Reading

Texas Access to Justice Foundation receives $20 million grant for housing-related legal services

The Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF, one of the state’s largest funding sources for civil legal aid, has received a $20 million grant from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, or TDHCA, for housing-related legal services. “We are so grateful to receive this critical funding from TDHCA to help Texans dealing … Continue Reading

Court order allows out-of-state attorneys to provide limited indigent defense in Texas

The Texas Supreme Court issued a unanimous order Friday permitting out-of-state lawyers to provide legal services to indigent defendants arrested for certain misdemeanor offenses. The emergency order, Misc. Docket No. 22-9007, allows attorneys authorized to practice law in another U.S. jurisdiction to provide services as an employee of a public defender office or through a … Continue Reading

Texas Access to Justice Commission names Beck Redden as Champion of Justice firm

The Texas Access to Justice Commission named Beck Redden as the winner for the highest level of participation and highest amount raised in the medium-size firm category of the Champions of Justice Firm Competition. The numbers are based on Texas Access to Justice Commission contributions made by the firms’ attorneys in support of the statewide … Continue Reading

Important information for attorneys with an IOLTA account at PNC Bank (previously BBVA)

The Texas Access to Justice Foundation, administrator of the Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts, or IOLTA, program, has become aware of issues related to mobile banking at PNC Bank (previously BBVA) that have resulted in lawyers being unable to view their IOLTA account. If you are an attorney with an IOLTA account at PNC Bank (previously … Continue Reading

Free legal assistance available for low-income individuals affected by Hurricane Nicholas

Free legal resources are available to low-income individuals affected by flooding and other conditions created by Hurricane Nicholas. The State Bar of Texas’s toll-free disaster legal services hotline—800-504-7030—puts callers in touch with legal aid providers in their areas who can help with: Replacement of important legal documents lost or destroyed in the disaster; Life, medical, … Continue Reading

Texas Access to Justice Foundation receives $20 million grant to provide COVID-19-related housing legal services

The Texas Access to Justice Foundation, or TAJF, received a $20 million Housing Stability Services Program grant package from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs for COVID-19-related housing legal services. The grant will allow legal aid organizations throughout Texas to provide free civil legal services to eligible households experiencing housing insecurity. Services include … Continue Reading

What Every Lawyer Should Know About Sexual Violence

There is a strong likelihood that you, as an attorney, have daily interaction with survivors of sexual violence. Sexual violence knows no boundaries, and your clients, your fellow attorneys, your employees, and your judges may be survivors. A 2015 prevalence study by the University of Texas found 40% (2 in 5) of women and 20% … Continue Reading

Champions of Justice Gala Benefiting Veterans raises approximately $448,000

The Texas Access to Justice Commission with its co-sponsor, the State Bar of Texas, honored veterans throughout the state at the 2021 Champions of Justice Gala Benefiting Veterans on April 6, 2021, via YouTube. This year, the commission raised approximately $448,000 to help provide civil legal services to low-income Texas veterans. Texas Supreme Court Justices … Continue Reading
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