November 1991

Cover

 
  • Introduction to HUD Conventional Public Housing, Section 8 Existing Housing, Voucher, and Subsidized Housing Programs Part I: Conventional Public Housing

    This article is the first part of a two-part introduction to federal housing programs. Part I covers conventional public housing, identifying necessary resource materials for housing advocates and describing tenant eligibility, waiting list preferences, rent calculation, evictions, and grievance procedures.

    By Fred Fuchs

  • Handling a Drug-Related Eviction from Public Housing

    Representing tenants faced with drug-related evictions is a very controversial issue that legal services programs must address. This article discusses how to develop an office policy on handling such cases, how to interview the client, possible defenses, and issues to consider regarding a jury trial.

    By Kay Y. Young

  • Self-Help Evictions

    Self-help eviction has been employed for many years by private landlords as a means of evicting tenants. Although self-help evictions under residential leases are not sanctioned in most states, they are still being used. This article describes the different methods landlords use and suggests several remedies available for clients who have been victims of self-help evictions.

    By James DePriest

  • Introduction to Jail and Prison Law

    Prisoners' constitutional rights are very different from the constitutional rights of persons who are not confined. This article summarizes the law relating to people held in jails and prisons.

    By John Midgley

  • Bankruptcy for Beginners

    Understanding bankruptcy is essential for meeting clients' needs. This article outlines the three basic bankruptcy chapters, Chapters 7, 12, and 13.

    By Joanna B. George

  • Understanding Unemployment Compensation Benefits

    Unemployment insurance statutes impose a series of requirements that each claimant must meet in order to receive benefits. This article frames some of the issues presented by claimants seeking unemployment compensation.

    By Jeff Gilbert

  • Effective Utilization of Pretrial Depositions for Legal Services Litigation

    Traditionally, pretrial depositions have not been widely used by legal services attorneys as an offensive litigation tactic. This article seeks to change this practice by urging attorneys to develop a professional understanding of deposition rules and techniques and by discussing the advantages of their use.

    By Curry First

  • The Importance of Family Law to Low-Income Clients and Their Advocates

    Family law decisions about child and spousal support can have a significant impact on the public benefits of low-income people. This article examines the intersection of family law and public benefits programs.

    By Sheila James Kuehl

  • A Short Review of Poverty Law Advocacy

    This article provides a brief review of major trends in poverty law advocacy from the inception of legal aid to the present. It explains why the role of the legal services attorney has shifted from the litigator of constitutional issues in federal court to an advocate for the poor in legislative and administrative proceedings.

    By Alan W. Houseman

  • The Role of National Support in Legal Services

    This article provides a broad overview of the uses of national legal services support centers, which are essential sources of guidance and assistance in the practice of poverty law.

  • We Are State Support

    This article provides a brief history and an overview of state support centers and the integral role that they play in the legal services community.

    By Elvera Anselmo and Randall Chapman

  • The Clearinghouse and Its Services

    The National Clearinghouse for Legal Services provides informational support services to legal services attorneys and paralegals through the Clearinghouse Review and other publications, the Clearinghouse Order Department, and the Clearinghouse Computer-Assisted Legal Research (CALR) Project. This comprehensive summary will tell you how best to use these many services. Included is an explanation about how to use a Case Development, how to use the Clearinghouse's Order Department, and how to initiate a CALR search.

  • Representing Individuals with Disabilities in Securing Social Security and Supplemental Security Income Disability Benefits

    An advocate representing a person with a disability in securing disability benefits needs to know the basic social security and SSI rules. This article describes the eligibility requirements, the statutory and regulatory rules defining disability, how disability determinations are made, and the appeals process.

    By Eileen P. Sweeney

  • Child Support Enforcement: An Introduction

    This article provides an introductory exploration of the child support enforcement system, its importance to low-income clients, and the remaining inadequacies of the system.

    By Paula Roberts

  • AFDC Program Rules for Advocates: An Overview

    This article summarizes the current basic rules of the AFDC program, including the legal framework, eligibility requirements, and applications and appeals processes.

    By Adele M. Blong and Timothy J. Casey

  • Alien Eligibility Under LSC Restrictions

    The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) restricts the use of LSC funds for the representation of certain categories of aliens, but far more aliens are currently eligible for legal services than were eligible when the restrictions were first imposed; this article summarizes current restrictions.

    By Charles Wheeler

  • Health Care Rights of the Poor: An Introduction

    This article provides an overview of the primary sources for health care, Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance, and state and county indigent care programs, and examines protection of access to health care provided by the Hill-Burton program, emergency medical treatment, and civil rights.

    By Michelle Melden, Michael Parks, and Laura Rosenthal

  • Introduction to the Food Stamp Program

    This article provides an overview of the Food Stamp Program, including eligibility requirements, the application process, income and benefit calculations, resource limits, work requirements, and overissuances.

    By David Super and Carrie M. Lewis