Metroplex Veterans Legal Services is conducting a virtual Veteran’s Expunction and Orders of Non-Disclosure Legal Clinic on Monday, November 7, 2022 at 2:00 pm. This clinic is a partnership with the law firm of Sidley Austin LLP, and American Airlines.
This clinic also focuses on assisting all of the Harris, Brazoria and Montgomery County Veterans Court program graduates with the expunctions or orders of non-disclosure from their criminal case. We are the only free legal program that is offering these services to the graduates of the Harris, Brazoria and Montgomery County Veterans Court without restrictions on eligibility based on the Veterans current income.
An Expunction removes all records of an arrest and/or subsequent court case from the public record and the individual may legally deny or fail to acknowledge ever having been arrested for or charged with any crime which has been expunged. A record of an arrest without a conviction is a barrier for employment. An order of nondisclosure is a legal remedy available to people who successfully complete deferred adjudication probation, in which a Texas court orders that your criminal history on a particular case be sealed from public view. A criminal history can be a barrier for housing.
Metroplex Veterans Legal Services offers single issue legal clinics to Veterans on a pro bono basis. Our legal clinics focus on removing the legal barriers to employment for Veterans, and assisting disabled Veterans to obtain military disability benefits.
The pro bono legal resources for Veterans have been very scarce prior to the commencement of our program. According to a recent Washington Post article, new research shows the one reason so many Veterans are homeless: They can’t afford lawyers. The research shows that Veterans are losing their homes and missing out on crucial benefits because they lack legal aid. With nearly 50,000 Veterans sleeping on the streets each night, it’s clear we are failing to serve those who have served our country. But the solution isn’t as obvious as it might seem. Veterans don’t need simply more doctors and shelter beds; new research shows that Veterans need lawyers to fight on their behalf as well. According to a new study from the Department of Veterans Affairs, at least five out of the top 10 problems leading to homelessness among Veterans cannot be solved without legal help. Our legal clinics address three of these unmet legal needs, for child support modification, restoring driver’s licenses, and legal assistance for warrants and fines.
The clinic will be held virtually on November 7, 2022, at 2:00 pm. The Veterans must register on-line in advance of the clinic at https://greaterhouston.veteranslegalservices.us
We would like your assistance in helping Veterans by publishing this information.
Thanks,
Metroplex Veterans Legal Services