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Justice
for those in need

Our mission is to Provide Excellence in Legal Advocacy for Those in need.

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SHRM Legal Day Conference 2020 – Judge Higgins Keynote

Eviction Settlement Program (ESP)

The Eviction Settlement Program (ESP) is a partnership between the city of Memphis, Shelby County, Neighborhood Preservation Inc., the University of Memphis School of Law, and Memphis Area Legal Services.

Using CARES Act funds attorney volunteers negotiate rent arrearage settlements. There are currently just under 2,000 cases awaiting resolution through ESP.  In addition to the cases being negotiated by volunteer attorneys, cases PARTICULARLY CASES THAT ARE IN THE ESP NETWORK PRIOR TO THE FILING OF A LAWSUIT are also being mediated by volunteer mediators through CJAM (Mid-South Community Justice & Mediation Center, Inc.) Volunteer negotiators and mediators are desperately needed.  The number of cases being handled is currently limited by the number of volunteers available to assist.

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Memphis Area Legal Services, Inc.
50 years of serving Memphis and the Midsouth

It’s Our 50th Birthday, but Instead, of celebrating with a party, MALS is celebrating by serving our COVID-19 impacted community.

We provide free legal advice and representation for low-income, disabled, and elderly clients in legal crises that threaten self-sufficiency or quality of life. We serve people in Fayette, Lauderdale, Shelby and Tipton counties.

COVID-19 Legal Help

COVID-19 has caused unemployment, likely evictions, likely utility cutoffs, increased domestic violence, increased child and elder abuse, and increased consumer fraud especially scams targeting the elderly. MALS  can help.

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MALS turns potential tragedies into justice for those most vulnerable in our communities.

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Volunteer

MALS offers a variety of volunteer opportunities for attorneys, paralegals law students, and others.

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MALS never charges for its services. Your donation means we get to help more families.

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News

Tenants face possibility of being homeless as end of eviction moratorium nears

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The eviction moratorium is quickly approaching and overdue tenants are currently in a 30-day period that is expected to end at the end of the month. The city of Memphis and Shelby County have been working with several organizations to keep renters from living
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Evictions to ramp up next week as CARES Act protections expire

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Like many landlords right now, Adam Rudman feels conflicted. “I cannot save everybody. I’m trying to do as much as we can. It’s hard to see people getting put out of their homes but eventually it’s also a business,” he said. The owner of
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Eviction settlement program raises questions among applicants

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Several renters who have applied for the eviction settlement program that the City of Memphis and Shelby County both approved are wondering why they have not received any help. Others are wondering why they were denied. “I applied and I haven’t heard anything
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ESP IS HERE! Home901.org and telephone number 211 are working!

Home901.org and telephone number 211 are working! These are links to ESP an eviction settlement program providing rental assistance for tenants who DUE TO the coronavirus are jobless, furloughed or had hours reduced; been ill and unable to work; had to care for someone with COVID-19; or
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Eviction hearings resume in Shelby County with higher than normal volume of pending cases

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Monday, eviction hearings picked up again in Shelby County civil court, and those with Memphis Area Legal Services are helping out to avoid a potential surge in tenants being forced out of their properties later this summer. Those with Memphis Area Legal Services said
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Shelby County eviction proceedings resume Monday with small case docket

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Shelby County eviction proceedings resumed Monday for the first time since mid-March but the courthouse remained a lot less busy and calmer than most attorneys expected. “Before COVID, courtrooms were packed,” Judge Betty Moore said at the beginning of her afternoon cases. Moore acknowledged her
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If you are being evicted, attend your hearing!

The Tennessee Supreme Court has said it will lift the eviction moratorium on June 1. Shelby County will be resuming in-person hearings on June 15. Cindy Ettingoff, CEO of Memphis Area Legal Services says the 15-day period will give landlords the opportunity to file evictions. “Between the
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As need for legal aid grows, vulnerable are least able to afford it

The longer the COVID-19 outbreak lasts, the brighter the spotlight it shines on long-standing inequalities in our society and the fragility of our social safety nets. As the days wear on, those who are most vulnerable in our community are experiencing the economic brunt of the crisis.
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901 Legal Connect offers free and low-cost legal services in the Mid-South

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Free and low-cost legal services are now available to thousands in the Mid-South. The online portal 901 Legal Connect went live Thursday, and its goal is to streamline legal service for those who can’t afford a private attorney. “This is the culmination of
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Eviction filings increase amid COVD-19 pandemic

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Another round of rent is about to be due since the COVID-19 pandemic started. Calls to Memphis Area Legal Services have increased, as a halt on eviction hearings is extended. There have been more than 65,000 unemployment claims in the Greater Memphis Area
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Client Stories

Samantha – Order of Protection

After a long, contested Order of Protection hearing, where the proof showed that the respondent had made threats to injure our client and to kidnap her and her small children to El Salvador, an order of protection was granted and the respondent was ordered to pay $600 dollars in MALS attorney’s fees.

Genevieve’s Daughter – Special Needs Requirements

Genevieve, a mother of a child with disabilities, was having difficulty in obtaining necessary nursing services for her daughter at a charter school.  We filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights and obtained a ruling that both the school system and the charter school had that responsibility.  The result is that this child can get an education without risking her health.

Thomas – Tax Issues

In a Tax Court case, Thomas claimed his daughter and granddaughter on his tax return. His daughter was out of work but attending college. He was audited and after being unable to provide the proof needed, he received a notice of deficiency, and owed the IRS approximately $7,000. After review and analysis of the documents he had provided to the IRS, we determined that he needed to submit additional proof. MALS was able to help eliminated the debt in its entirety.
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