Equal Access to Justice for All: Pro Bono Legal Service Offers Free Legal Advice to Pennsylvania Residents
By Emily Wright
WILLIAMSPORT – North Penn Legal Services (NPLS) is a local non-profit organization that has been serving the civil legal needs of Clinton, Lycoming, and Tioga County individuals for over 50 years. The Williamsport legal aid office, established in 1974, provides free legal advice, attorney representation, and other civil legal resources for eligible individuals.
Among the wide range of civil legal issues that the organization can assist with are:
• Housing (landlord-tenant issues, foreclosures, evictions, poor living conditions, etc.)
• Consumer protection (bankruptcy, debt collection defense, etc.)
• Employment issues (Unemployment Compensation, Criminal Record expungement, etc)
• Protection from Abuse Orders
• Family Law: Divorce, Child Custody, etc.
• Assistance for seniors such as establishing a Will or Power of Attorney
• Public benefits (denials, overpayments, etc)
The NPLS website states a startling figure regarding the number of legal challenges that people with lower incomes in Northeast Pennsylvania face; many of whom may be unaware of their rights in the midst of their situation: “More than 400,000 people live at or below 125% of poverty in Northeast Pennsylvania. At least 50% will deal with two or three civil legal challenges each year. The most serious problems affect their health, safety, housing, food security, and financial ability to care for themselves and their families.”
The Record met with the agency’s managing attorney of the Williamsport office, attorney Jennifer Heverly, for a tour of the office and to learn in-depth about how NPLS operates and the services it provides. According to Heverly, the mission of the organization is to “provide civil legal representation to low-income individuals and ensure equal access to justice.”
A Lock Haven native, Heverly became inspired to pursue a legal profession after assisting residents at Clinton County Women’s Center, Inc. (Roads to Peace) with their legal issues. During her time at the Center, she interacted with the attorney’s from NPLS who were providing pro bono services to the Center’s residents. These experiences influenced her decision to become a legal professional. She now oversees the Williamsport NPLS office, which employs five attorneys and three paralegals.
In addition to Clinton, Lycoming, and Tioga Counties, NPLS serves 20 other counties in Northern Pennsylvania, and the need for this legal resource is evident: Attorney Heverly’s reports indicate that from January to June of this year alone, the Williamsport office handled 616 new cases.
So, who is eligible for NPLS’s free legal services, and how can they obtain it?
To qualify, your household income must fall within the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines, which are issued annually by the US Department of Health and Human Services. Family size and gross income determine eligibility for assistance. This information is available on the NPLS website under the “Do I Qualify?” tab; however, the income limit for NPLS is 125% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines (slightly higher than the actual FPIG amount). There are certain time-sensitive or emergency legal services available regardless of an individual’s income, such as PFA orders for victims of domestic violence. Attorney Heverly told The Record, “We do have some special grants to help people with higher incomes in certain cases, so it’s important for people to apply”.
NPLS makes it easy to apply for legal services; those in need can apply by calling the organization’s hotline during business hours or by visiting the NPLS website, where the application is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. After submitting an application for legal assistance through NPLS, an intake worker from the office contacts the applicant to determine financial eligibility and learn more about their specific legal issue. If the applicant is eligible and their legal issue falls within the scope of the services NPLS offers, the case is forwarded to the office’s managing attorney, who then assigns it to one of the in-house attorneys specializing in the relevant area of law.
The attorney then provides the applicant with legal advice, drafts legal documents, files paperwork with the court presiding over the case, and, if necessary, represents the client in court. When NPLS is unable to handle a case, referrals are provided to other agencies that can help.
For those who have legal questions but may not necessarily want to consult an attorney, the NPLS website contains a plethora of resources and beneficial information pertaining to a wide variety of civil legal issues.
To make access to justice easier for low-income individuals, Attorney Heverly pointed out that eligible applicants may not necessarily need to travel to the Williamsport office; intake representatives and attorneys at NPLS can assist applicants via phone, Zoom meetings, email, and even text message. She also added that meetings may also be held at the Clinton or Tioga County Courthouses if necessary.
On the organization’s website, testimonials from people who have utilized NPLS’ services can be found; one of which comes from a tenant who resided in the Hazleton area.
When a Hazleton woman discovered that her apartment had a mold infestation severe enough to render it inhabitable, she withheld her rent payment for a month in hopes that her landlord would rectify the situation. Consequently, the woman’s landlord issued her an eviction notice which led her to contact the Hazleton NPLS office. After meeting with the tenant, the NPLS attorney assigned to her case discovered that code enforcement had already confirmed the presence of a severe mold issue in her apartment, unbeknownst to her. Despite receiving an eviction notice, the attorney explained to the woman that she was still entitled to compensation for the mold damage to her furniture and living space, and then assisted her through the legal process. The NPLS attorney acted quickly so as to prevent the woman from experiencing health issues due to mold exposure. Legal documents and letters were drafted for the woman, free of charge, to prepare for the upcoming hearing to obtain a favorable judgment: monetary damages to cover the cost of the tenant’s damaged furniture and to assist her with moving out of the inhabitable apartment.
The NPLS attorney was able to recover $800 to replace the tenant’s damaged furniture, and also helped the woman to vacate the apartment without penalty for violating the terms of her lease. Not only did the outcome of the legal proceeding rectify the situation, the NPLS attorney acted quickly so that health issues due to mold exposure could be avoided.
Another example provided by Attorney Heverly of how NPLS has been of assistance involved a local homeowner, “A homeowner who fell behind on his real estate taxes set up a payment plan with the Tax Bureau, believing it would prevent a tax sale of his property. After receiving notification that his home had been sold, he contacted NPLS, who objected to the sale on his behalf, and the sale was then set aside. The homeowner continued to make tax payments and was able to avoid another tax sale.”
To learn more about North Penn Legal Services, find helpful information and resources, and apply for services:
• North Penn Legal Website: https://www.nplspa.org/
• To apply for services by phone: 877-953-4250
• Hours of operation for the Hotline: Monday-Thursday 9-11:30 a.m. or 1:30-4:00 p.m. (no Friday intake)
• Penn Tower Building
• 25 W. Third Street, Suite 400
• Williamsport, PA 17701-6526
