Central Minnesota Legal Services provides free attorneys to qualifying individuals
Central Minnesota Legal Services provides civil legal services to low-income persons in 21 counties in Central Minnesota. Its mission is "to provide, in a highly professional manner, for the basic legal needs of families and children vulnerable to abuse, violence, neglect, homelessness or major economic disruptions in their lives." Clients receive legal services at no cost, unless there are court fees that cannot be waived. CMLS helps eligible clients through direct representation, brief advice, and through participating in community legal education programs.
CMLS provides assistance in issues involving:
Family Law
Housing
Government Benefits
Consumer Law
Employment Law
Minneapolis Public Housing Opens List for Family Housing from June 22-26
Minneapolis Public Housing will allow people to apply for 2-4 bedroom family housing for the first time in years beginning on June 22, 2010 and ending on June 26, 2010. Applications can be downloaded from the MPHA website at www.mphaonline.org or by phone by calling 1-866-477-4045 for English speakers, 1-888-214-3771 for Somalis, 1-866-955-8229 for Hmong or 612-342-1415 for the deaf.
For the full Star Tribune story on this, go to http://www.startribune.com/local/96107464.html
CMLS Job Opportunities
JOB ANNOUNCEMENT – FOR POSTING ONLY
POSITION AVAILABLE: MANAGING ATTORNEY
Central Minnesota Legal Services (CMLS) is seeking a managing attorney for its St. Cloud area office.
Salvation Army offers Life Camp for children of incarcerated individuals
LIFE Camp provides children (grades 2-6) of inmates currently or formerly detained in a Minnesota or North Dakota correctional facility the opportunity to create positive, life-long memories at no cost to their families. During the week-long camp, the kids have a chance to participate in activities like fishing, swimming, hiking and more. There is also a special focus on their specific emotional needs and life skills training.
For more information about this program, click here.
Star Tribune Highlights Anoka Law Library Pro Se Efforts
In a recent article, the Star Tribune highlighted the increase in use of law libraries by pro se litigants and highlighted the Anoka County Law Library. Central Minnesota Legal Services works closely with the Anoka County Law Library and offers a pro se clinic at the law library once per month.
Congratulations to our friends Gene Myers and Merry Conway, the Anoka County Law Library staff, for being featured in this article and for being recognized for their hard work in helping pro se litigants in our court system.
A link to the full story is here:
http://www.startribune.com/local/north/91560404.html?elr=KArks:DCiUHc3E7_V_nDaycUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr
Watch Judge Stephen Halsey from the Tenth Judicial District (Anoka) host a show on Orders for Protection in Minnesota
Watch the District Court Show broadcast with Judge Stephen Halsey and guests in a discussion on the process for obtaining an Order for Protection in Minnesota Courts. CMLS is mentioned in the discussion as an organization that assists people with Orders for Protection in Anoka County.
http://www.qctv.org/districtcourtshow/index.php
Revised Paternity Booklet is now available for free online download
For those involved in paternity matters, the Minnesota Legal Services Coalition has created a community education booklet called "Rights and Responsibilities of Unmarried Parents". If you are an organization that works with unmarried parents, you can order copies of the booklet to distribute by going to the Coalition's website.
If you are an unmarried parent looking for information, you can download the booklet for free in both PDF and HTML format at LawHelpMN.org.
Are you in need of a harassment restraining order? Now you can prepare your forms online.
The 4th District Self-Help Center and the Minnesota Legal Services Coalition collaborated to create a user-friendly document assembly tool for the new state-approved "Petition for Harassment Restraining Order". This tool was designed to be used in all counties in Minnesota. After you use the tool, it will create the Petition, Law Enforcement Sheet and Proposed Harassment Restraining Order and it comes with printable instructions to tell the user how to file and serve the paperwork.
To get to the online Harassment Restraining Order tool, go to this link:
https://www.npado.org/login_form?template_id=template.2009-09-18.7162719137
Somali Language Website launched
The largest Somali population resides in the Twin Cities area. And now there is a website that can help Somali speaking people find legal resources to help with a variety of issues.