Local court committee continues to provide free legal advice

 

From Illinois Business Journal news services

EDWARDSVILLE – Free legal appointments at the Madison County Law Library continue to be a success. The 3rd Judicial Circuit Pro Bono committee notes that 25 attorneys volunteered to provide the free appointments to low-income residents during the second quarter of 2015.

The Legal Advice Clinic was created by the committee and the Madison County Bar Association. Circuit Judge Barb Crowder is the chair of the committee. The goal is to provide legal information to those who are otherwise unable to confer with a lawyer.

The attorneys who provided the free 30-minute appointments are:

Rob Bas, Brenda Baum, Erin Beavers, Shannon Bradford, Andrew Carruthers, Angela Donohoo, Chris Donohoo, David Fahrenkamp, George Filcoff, Meghan Kane, Carolyn Karsten, Ryan Kiwala, Chris Kovach, Bill Lucco, Bryant Michael, Ian Murphy, Terry O’Leary, Maureen Schuette, Sandra Tatoian, Phil Theis, Julie Tracy, Suzanne Vogel, Michael Wesley, Ron Williams and Audra Zobrist.

“These attorneys provide information on family law questions and on questions about civil cases such as small claims and landlord-tenant problems. Their efforts help people who are representing themselves better understand the legal system. They are a great asset to this community,” Crowder said.

In addition to the free legal appointments on family and civil cases, a new free real estate clinic is being held in the Law Library. Recorder Amy Meyer will be doing a free clinic on the second and fourth Wednesday mornings of each month from 10 to noon. She will be answering legal questions regarding property and assisting in the preparation of accurate and appropriate land recording documents.

The committee also provides continuing legal education for the attorneys who volunteer in the Family Court Pro Bono program as mediators and guardians ad litem. The speaker for May was Deborah Crouse Cobb on the subject of adoption law and June’s speaker was Katherine Claudson, director of the Madison County Kids’ Corner visitation center.

The free legal appointments to low-income members of the public who do not have attorneys are available on any legal subject except criminal law, including but not limited to subjects such as family law or areas such as debt collection, landlord tenant, small claims, or any other civil area of law. The free appointments are held the second and fourth Tuesday of each month.

To make an appointment for either program or to volunteer, call (618) 296-5921 or e-mail Angela Wille at anwille@co.madison.il.us.