I’m pleased to welcome Attorneys Hazel Remesch and Melanie Shakarian of The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland to speak at our next CLE Luncheon seminar (on November 14, 2018) about CATA’s partnership with Legal Aid to create a “Right to Counsel” in Cleveland Housing Court.
“You have the right to an attorney” — everyone is familiar with the Miranda right thanks to television crime shows. Our constitution ensures access to no-cost legal counsel when someone is accused of a serious crime and cannot afford an attorney. Many people do not realize, however, that there is no such constitutional right to legal counsel in housing cases.
Founded in 1905, Legal Aid is the only nonprofit specifically addressing the civil legal needs of Northeast Ohio’s poor, marginalized, and disenfranchised. Legal Aid’s 45 staff attorneys and 35 support staff members provide high-quality civil legal services where and when people need it most. With more than a century of expertise in poverty law and housing advocacy, Legal Aid is poised to halt the cascade of consequences that inevitably flow from eviction and homelessness.
Housing is a basic human need and the starting point for economic opportunity. A safe, stable home serves as a foundation for healthy families and the nexus of thriving communities. And yet, too many Cleveland families living in poverty are being evicted. In fact, of the estimated 9,000 -10,000 evictions filed in Cleveland each year, a mere 1% -2% of tenants facing eviction are represented by an attorney, while most landlords have a lawyer.
An eviction for a family can be devastating. Research shows that unstable housing circumstances, including homelessness, multiple moves, and rent strain are associated with adverse health outcomes for caregivers and young children. These adverse health outcomes include maternal depression, child lifetime hospitalizations, poor child overall health and poor caregiver health.
Studies show that tenants who received full legal representation in eviction cases were more likely to stay in their homes and save on rent or fees. For this reason, Legal Aid’s Right to Counsel Program is focused on providing tenants with full legal representation in Cleveland housing court to ensure that tenants participate meaningfully in the eviction process.
What does “full legal representation” include? How does Legal Aid help clients navigate through the eviction process? How can CATA, its members, and other attorneys get involved and help out? Hazel and Melanie will discuss these issues and more!
- Where: Ritz-Carlton, 6th Floor (Cleveland)
- When: Wednesday, November 14, 2018 from 12:15-1:35 (12:15-12:20 registration; 12:20-12:30 introductory remarks; 12:30-1:30 presentation; 1:30-1:35 wrap-up)
- Why: Legal Aid needs our help!
- Who: You!