November 2023 LASC-SEOLS Pursuing Justice Newsletter

Providing civil legal aid to veterans like Graham Decker* is a priority of Ohio State Legal Services Association (OSLSA). Decker, an army veteran, called us when he received an eviction notice claiming that he had violated apartment rules. Decker, who finds loud noises upsetting, would often knock on his neighbors’ doors asking them to quiet down—a practice that the apartment manager did not approve of. The LASC housing team negotiated that the apartment complex would dismiss the eviction if Decker moved out. They then helped him find a new apartment where he was able to make a fresh start. “I was in panic mode there for a while, but my attorney worked it out,” he said.

We are thrilled to have our veterans-related services back to pre-pandemic levels. This is especially important because a disproportionate number of Ohio’s disabled veterans living in poverty reside within our service area, according to American Community Survey data. Of Ohio’s 88 counties, disabled veterans who are living in poverty make up more than 5% of the population in 10 counties—seven of those counties are in OSLSA’s Southeast Ohio service area.

Our robust engagement efforts include monthly clinics at the Chillicothe, Columbus, and Newark VA Centers.. This time of year, it also includes providing legal services and resources at the annual Stand Down events across our service area. In addition, we work with multiple organizations with Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) programs to provide training on legal issues and a user-friendly referral process for the veterans they serve.

A new federal grant has allowed us to expand our veterans’ advocacy to include providing legal services and outreach to veterans who are homeless and at-risk of homelessness. The funding supports representation across all our substantive areas, including housing, family law, income support, VA benefit claims and discharge upgrades. With this funding, we are hiring our first staff member who will work exclusively with veterans throughout our 36 counties, further bolstering our reach.  

These crucial civil legal services provide low-income veterans with much needed assistance. And it’s a service we are honored to provide. We’re proud to assist veterans with their legal needs. To all of our veterans, thank you for your service.

*Name changed to protect client’s privacy.

Meet Jasmin Hurley, Legal Aid pro bono attorney, Army veteran, and advocate for Central Ohio’s veteran community. Jasmin volunteers her time at pro bono clinics that serve veterans, including the recent Central Ohio Veterans Stand Down event and the VA clinic at Chalmer P. Wylie Ambulatory Care clinic. We sat down recently to speak with Jasmin about her military background, her pro bono work with veterans, and what it means to be able to give back to her fellow service members.

How does Legal Aid make a difference in the lives of our clients?

Civil legal aid bridges the gap in access to justice for those folks that may not normally have the resources to afford an attorney. There’s a wealth of resources built into the system when it comes to criminal legal aid, but when it comes to civil legal aid, it's on wonderful, fantastic organizations like LASC to bridge that gap. Legal Aid provides clients, first and foremost, with information. It empowers them in a situation that is normally stressful and alleviates that stress of dealing with a legal situation and not knowing where to turn.

What is a common issue for vets that Legal Aid is able to help with?

I think there are a couple of main issues, and, in many ways, they're not any different from the issues that we see from our general population, like landlord-tenant issues. But we also work on VA benefits, which are of course very specific to veterans. Part of that is understanding when we can assist them and when maybe we need to get them linked up with other organizations that provide the support they need, whether it’s seeking VA benefits or navigating the VA healthcare system. The divorce rate in the military tends to be a little bit higher than the civilian population due to the operational tempo. So domestic issues such as divorce and child custody, those issues tend to pop up as well.

Tell us a little more about your background.

So I grew up in Massachusetts, fourth generation military. Everyone—from my grandfather, my uncles, my mother, my father, and myself and my brothers—have all served either in the Navy or the Army. I served in the Army five and a half years and got to travel the world. I was stationed in Germany for a few years, deployed to Iraq, and I met my husband while I was in the service.

What does it mean for you to be able to serve the veteran community?

It’s a way for me to continue to give back to a community that’s given me so much. The military has essentially given me my profession. I went to law school on the GI bill. I earned that through my military service. So to then reach back to my community and provide them that service is beneficial to my heart and knowing that it’s helping my brothers and sisters in arms. 

We thank Jasmin for her service to our country and her outstanding work with veterans! If you’d like to volunteer for an upcoming clinic that serves vets, we urge you to sign up for a slot at our Veterans Clinic at the Chalmer P. Wylie VA Ambulatory Care Center, which take place on the second Thursday of each month from 9 a.m.-12 p.m.