ALL OFFICES

(Except in the Pensacola Office where Northwest Florida Legal Services (NWFLS) has responsibility pursuant to agreement of both programs)

Custody cases

To provide representation in custody cases when child's safety or health is in jeopardy, or as part of emergency action on behalf of domestic violence victim

Guardianship Proceedings

To provide representation in guardianship proceedings (1) to indigent wards when appointed by court pursuant to formal agreement or (2) to allow children to be enrolled in school and to obtain health care

Child/Spousal Support

To provide representation to establish child or spousal support as part of emergency action to obtain domestic violence injunction or as part of dissolution action involving domestic violence

QUINCY
Dependency Cases

To represent parents in dependency actions involving their children if (1) appointed by a court pursuant to a regular rotation for which services are paid or (2) services are contracted to be provided with local governmental entities or (3) when county has obligation to appoint counsel and refuses for the sole purpose of requesting appointment of counsel

FT. WALTON,
PANAMA CITY
Adoption Cases

To provide representation when parental rights have been terminated or child has been abandoned; in cases where natural parent consents, refer to private pro bono attorney

ALL OFFICES
Other Board adopted priorities

To provide representation in other meritorious cases to extent resources allow; provide advice or brief service when resources don't allow full representation

ALL OFFICES

Defend eviction cases

To provide full representation when meritorious defense exists; to provide advice & negotiation in other eviction cases

Defend foreclosure actions

To provide full representation when meritorious defense exists; to provide advice & negotiation in all other defensive foreclosure actions; to evaluate Chapter 13 Bankruptcy option and proceed where appropriate

Consumer Housing

To file affirmative actions against contractors or (1) shoddy work or (2) violations of statutory duties including appropriate notice and financial disclosures; to advise clients of mechanisms to file administrative complaints against contractors

Clear title to real property

To file actions or prepare necessary legal documents to clear title to real property when applicant is applying for funds to improve housing that applicant is living in or planning to live in when improvements are completed or if applicant is at risk of losing property that applicant is living in

Housing Discrimination

To represent clients when:

QUINCY
Real Property disputes

To file boundary disputes that will preserve homestead property and to defend boundary disputes that would result in loss of homestead property

ALL OFFICES
Other Board adopted priorities

To provide representation in other meritorious cases to extent resources allow; to provide advice or brief service when resources don't allow full representation

ALL OFFICES

Bankruptcy

To represent clients in bankruptcy proceedings when (1) clients are at risk of losing their homes due to foreclosure or (2) significant debt has been incurred as a result of medical costs or debt incurred to maintain children

Collection Actions

To represent clients defending collection actions defenses in repossession actions in which household furnishings or primary transportation for the family will be affected or in garnishment actions when the garnishee will be responsible for supporting other dependents

Contracts/Warranties

To recruit private pro bono attorneys to handle cases involving enforcement of contracts and warranties and refer those cases to private bar

Income Maintenance

To represent all applicants who have wrongfully been denied WAGES, SSI, SSA, Unemployment Compensation and other income maintenance benefits

Discrimination

To represent individual clients if HRC or EEOC issues a finding of reasonable cause and to refer class actions to private counsel

Food Stamps

To represent all clients in Tallahassee, Quincy and Panama City service areas who have wrongfully been denied food stamps and all clients with food stamps problems referred by local spouse abuse shelters pursuant to formal agreements

TALLAHASSEE, PANAMA CITY,
FT. WALTON
Wage Claims

To refer clients with violation of Wage and Hour laws to private pro bono attorneys

ALL OFFICES
Other Board adopted priorities

To provide representation in other meritorious cases to extent resources allow; to provide advice or brief service when resources don't allow full representation

ALL OFFICES

(Except in the Pensacola Office where Northwest Florida Legal Services (NWFLS) has responsibility pursuant to agreement of both programs)

Domestic Injunction proceedings

To represent or secure representation for domestic violence victims, including the elderly, who are at risk of immediate harm or who are referred from local shelters

Dissolutions

To represent or secure representation for domestic violence victims, including the elderly, who are at risk of immediate harm or who are referred from local shelters

Change of Identification

To provide representation in changing identification documents to victims of domestic violence for safety purposes

Dependency actions

To represent domestic violence victims whose children have been removed by DCAF as a result of the abusive relationship when referred by local spouse abuse shelters pursuant to formal agreement

Victims' compensation

To extent VOCA and VAWA allow, assist domestic violence victims apply for victim's compensation and represent in administrative proceedings if warranted

Medical/Insurance

To extent VOCA and VAWA allow, represent domestic violence victims referred through formal agreement with local shelters with insurance or medical matters

ALL OFFICES
Other Board adopted priorities

To provide representation in other meritorious cases to extent resources allow; provide advice or brief service when resources don't allow full representation