News and stories about our work advancing civil legal rights for low-income Texans.
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Gerard Smith, a disabled Air Force veteran and devoted single father, had done everything he could to keep his children safe and housed. After falling on hard times, he began renting an Airbnb as a temporary place to stay; since they were renting long-term without any complaints, the landlord offered Gerard’s family a six-month lease. After signing, Gerard found that […]
Lone Star Legal Aid stands in solidarity with Texans in the aftermath of the Kerr County flash floods, and are ready to help. On July 4, 2025, a catastrophic flash flood struck the Texas Hill Country—especially along the Guadalupe River—resulting in more than 119 confirmed deaths and many more missing. The loss of life has been the most heartbreaking outcome […]
When Drew, a disabled Army veteran, fell behind on rent, he faced more than just a late payment. He faced the very real threat of homelessness. Living in a rented RV without running water, Drew was already enduring unsafe and unsanitary conditions. When his landlord moved to evict him, it pushed an already desperate situation to the brink. But Drew […]
After the dentist extracted all her teeth, Mary had to wait for her new dentures. She was excited to learn they were ready, but when she arrived at her dentist’s office, the staff said she couldn’t have them. Unless she paid out of pocket. The price was $2,600. Mary was devastated. She’d been dropped by her dental insurance, the office […]
Chris Johnson was raising two children with his wife, Leah, when he found out she was having an affair with someone else. Though Chris was only the biological father of one of the children, he wanted to shield both of his kids from their mother’s intentional neglect. When Leah decided to move to Indiana with her new partner, she willingly […]
Lone Star Legal Aid will be closed on Friday, July 4, 2025. All offices will reopen on Monday, July 7, 2025. Texans can still apply for free legal help online at www.lonestarlegal.org.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 26, 2025 Houston, TX — This August, the curtain rises on justice, laughter, and a great cause. Night Court presents Law’s Anatomy, a musical parody that blends law, medicine, and mayhem—all while raising funds for Houston-area legal nonprofits, including Lone Star Legal Aid’s Military & Veterans Unit. Dates: August 20–23, 2025 Location: The Hobby Center for […]
When 91-year-old Mr. Fowler, a veteran living in Smith County, reached out to Lone Star Legal Aid for help writing a will, he believed he already had Title to the home he and his late wife shared. But he hadn’t gone through probate after her death, and as he learned from our attorneys, that meant he didn’t legally own the […]
Lone Star Legal Aid will be closed on Thursday, June 19, 2025. All offices will reopen on Friday, June 20, 2025. Texans can still apply for free legal help online at www.lonestarlegal.org.
Jack is a 25-year-old man living with anxiety, depression, a sleep disorder, and a learning disability with associated mental limitations. He is also a cancer survivor—diagnosed with leukemia at just four years old, which took years of treatment before he went into remission. Jack has been on disability benefits since 2015 and, with no work experience, depends on these benefits […]
At 66 years old, Ms. Olivares lives a quiet life in a modest apartment, relying solely on her Social Security disability income. She doesn’t own a car and had long put behind her the financial strains of the past—until she was served court papers this January over a student loan debt she thought was resolved nearly a decade ago. Back […]
Lisa James worked at her job for nearly five years before feeling forced to resign due to a hostile work environment. Despite regularly working more than 40 hours per week, she was denied the overtime pay she was legally owed, and her employer claimed that she quit voluntarily. After being denied unemployment benefits by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), Ms. […]
Since receiving TIG funding in December 2024, Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) has been working to develop and deploy three distinct chatbot tools designed to enhance legal access and organizational efficiency: Juris, LSLAsks, and Navi. As of the halfway point in our first project year, each system is actively in development—with several components already undergoing internal testing. Juris – The […]
How long does it take to pay off a $400 loan? It depends on the interest rate. James* got a loan for $400. The interest rate was so high, he could never pay it off. Why? Because the fees piled up too fast. He paid $50 every month for three years. That’s more than a thousand dollars; way more than […]
Denise paid more than $2,000 a month to rent her apartment. Her refrigerator broke. Her landlord didn’t fix it correctly. At first it was ok. She told someone in the front office. They gave her $200 for the spoiled food and fixed the refrigerator. But then, the refrigerator failed again. Water leaked everywhere. A month later, the refrigerator stopped working […]
HOUSTON, TX – Lone Star Legal Aid proudly announces that Litigation Director Amy Dinn has been honored with the Environmental Champion of 2024 Award by Better Brazoria, a long-time community partner based in Freeport, Texas. The surprise award presentation took place on Wednesday, April 30, at LSLA’s Houston office, where Melanie Oldham from Better Brazoria joined LSLA to recognize Amy’s […]
After more than twenty years of marriage, an East Texas woman experienced the sudden loss of her husband. Just a few months later, she faced another devastating loss when her adult daughter also passed away. Jane had been living with her daughter in a home that her daughter had purchased a few years prior. As a result of this loss, […]
Lone Star Legal Aid will be closed on Monday, May 26, 2025. All offices will reopen on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. Texans can still apply for free legal help online at www.lonestarlegal.org.
Ms. Rayo came to Lone Star Legal Aid following the death of her husband, facing a complex web of legal and financial uncertainty. Her husband had been the sole owner of their home and the only person listed on the mortgage and utility accounts. As an elderly, Spanish-speaking widow, she was navigating grief, paperwork, and the risk of losing access […]
COVID-19 was a difficult time that affected many people. The Smith family in particular faced many financial challenges. George, his wife Madison and their child went through extreme hardships due to both of them losing their jobs, which resulted in them becoming behind on rent for a privately owned property. Their landlord claimed to send them a notice to vacate […]