News and stories about our work advancing civil legal rights for low-income Texans.
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Kassandra met Lilah in San Diego, California in 2012 when she was just twelve years old, and instantly knew she was in love with her. She expressed to her mother that she was bisexual and did not approve. Her mother thought life would be hard for her, because she would be judged harshly. Kassandra’s father was never in the picture, […]
Each year, on October 10, individuals and organizations join the global movement to raise awareness about mental health. Since the Covid-19 pandemic emerged, mental health conditions have been rising across all demographics. By raising awareness, we can fight the stigma, provide support, and educate the public. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the nation has witnessed a significant increase in […]
Richard, 64, and his siblings, inherited the father’s home in 2018 along with roughly $9000 in past due property taxes including penalties and interest. After their father’s passing, Richard moved into the home, maintaining the property and paying the bills which included making payments towards the taxes. When the Covid pandemic hit, Richard had trouble keeping up with the payments and with the threat of foreclosure looming, he sought relief in the form of a loan to pay […]
In 2019, Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) Staff Attorney, Cheranda Robertson represented Samantha, a survivor of severe domestic violence and continual sexual assault from her husband Josh. When Robertson entered the case, the trial was in about a month and mediation resulted in a dead end. The property they shared consisted of three real estate properties, four vehicles, and personal effects. The couple came to California from Mexico in the 1980’s. They […]
In December of 2020, Anita started a Medicaid application for her two children, ages 13 and 15, while her 13 year-old child was still in the hospital, not able to breathe after contracting COVID-19. Anita was awarded the Medicaid Spend Down Program for both of her sons which is awarded to help with medical payments. The children were denied regular Medicaid and CHIP benefits because, according to HHSC, Anita’s income was too high to qualify for either. Anita was confused as to […]
Michelle applied for services with Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) at the Spring Branch Family Development Center Outreach Enrollment Clinic in May 2021, as a minor, with her mother signing as her guardian. Michelle was 28 weeks pregnant at the time and needed health and nutritional benefits so she could regularly visit her doctor for pregnancy appointments and make sure […]
Mrs. Martinez’s son Jason was 13 years old when he passed away from a severe illness. Jason was in the hospital from December 2020 to January 2021. With medical bills piling up, Mrs. Martinez applied for Medicaid and was never sent an approval or denial letter for the deceased child. While he was still living, the hospital continuously reached out to collect the mounting debt and insensitive phone calls were the last thing Mrs. Martinez […]
In September of 2019–two short years after Hurricane Harvey– the Texas Gulf Coast was hit with Tropical Storm Imelda. The storm lasted through the weekend and was dubbed the worst storm in Texas since Harvey, leaving in its wake 5 deaths and innumerable losses. The heavy rainfall shut down most roadways and flooded vehicles, buildings, and homes. Imelda hit hardest […]
Julie and Jeffrey got married in 2006 and share two young children. Jeffrey had always been abusive throughout their marriage. He would physically hit and choke her, bully his two children, and had several affairs with male partners. In addition to his violent behavior, he was an alcoholic and once under the influence, his abuse worsened. Because of his constant intoxication, he also failed to care for the children […]
Because Jordan was incarcerated for 10 months, he was unable to file a tax return for the 2019 tax year. As a result, when the pandemic hit in 2020, he did not receive Economic Impact Payment (EIP) or stimulus payment. He was frustrated and confused because he understood that every American was eligible as long as they made under $75,000 in […]
Alvin was controlling, abusive and constantly playing the victim when, in reality, his victim was his wife, and he was the bully. He constantly forced his wife of almost two years, to believe she was in the wrong and that she contributed to his unhappiness. It took Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) to help Jennifer stare from the outside in […]
Gregory, a Houston father, contracted COVID-19 and then his family’s life took a turn for the worst. Gregory lost his job due to contracting the virus, his landlord illegally locked the entire family of their home for not being able to come up with enough money to pay the rent, and they had no medical coverage. Gregory could not work […]
Walking on egg shells around your abusive partner can be terrifying, especially when you are constantly being threatened and assaulted. Kaitlyn was just a teenager when her boyfriend began violent tendencies. When Peter was 23 he met 19-year-old Kaitlyn. Soon thereafter, she became his girlfriend and then she got pregnant with his child. Early on in their relationship, she learned […]
Houston, TX – Lone Star Legal Aid is excited to announce the launch of the new Texas Crime Victim Legal Assistance Network website (“Network”). The fresh face website features new functions for both partners and survivors, and a more user-friendly interface for the dashboard. In addition to the upgrades being made to the existing features, there is also a new […]