News and stories about our work to protect and advance the civil legal rights of low-income Texans.
The County Indigent Health Care Program helps low-income Texas residents who don’t qualify for other state or federal health care programs have access to health care services. An indigent patient is a patient whose health insurance coverage, if any, does not provide full coverage for all their medical expenses and that their medical expenses, in relationship to their income. Benefits […]
Lone Star Legal Aid, in partnership with Texas Legal Services Center, is happy to announce the launch of its Eviction Text Messaging Program. The program helps to guide our clients through the JP Court Eviction Appeal process with text messaging support. This guided support will provide text message reminders of deadlines, links to helpful information at appropriate times, and answer […]
Our financial assistance and public benefits advocates help low-income families access nutritional, financial, and income-support benefits. We can help with Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the program formerly known as Food Stamps Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Social Security County Indigent Healthcare Unemployment Insurance Medicare/Medicaid Discrimination in government programs for race, national origin, sex, pregnancy, […]
People with disabilities face widespread discrimination, segregation, and exclusion. But federal disability rights laws can provide protection. Disability discrimination in the workplace Employment discrimination is when an employer treats an application or employee less favorably due to a person’s race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, disability, or status as a protected veteran. Disability victimization is the most […]
Workplace violence (WPV) is any act or threat of violence, harassment, intimidation, or disruptive behavior that occurs in a workplace. Hospitals and health systems have vigorous protocols to detect violence against their staff. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the health care field has seen an increase in workplace violence and studies show rates will not be receding anytime […]
Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas (LANWT), Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA), and Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) are legal aid organizations funded by Legal Services Corporation (LSC) to assist low-income Texans with their civil legal needs. LSLA has 14 offices in 76 counties with staff attorneys and pro bono volunteers ready to help take on your case. See below for […]
Houston, TX – Lone Star Legal Aid is proud to announce that pizza sales at the Sawyer Heights MOD Pizza location (1911 Taylor St, Ste. A, Houston, TX 77007) on Sunday, September 11, 2022, will benefit our Military & Veterans Unit. Ways to support this fundraiser Receive 20% off all digital and in-store fundraiser sales on September 11, 2022 by: […]
A Brief History of Discriminatory Language Instruments In the Southern United States from the 1920s to the 1940s, cities had laws requiring People of Color to live in certain areas. Property was also restricted by instruments that created “white only” subdivisions. In 1948, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Shelley v. Kraemer struck down racially restrictive housing covenants. In 1985, […]
Port Arthur, Texas – A coalition of organizations led by Lone Star Legal Aid Group Client, the Port Arthur Community Action Network (PACAN), launched a Month-of-Action to stop the proposed Blue Marlin Crude Oil Pipeline. Energy Transfer has proposed building a crude oil pipeline through the middle of Sabine Lake and down to an offshore export terminal off the coast […]
Lone Star Legal Aid’s mission is to protect and advance the civil legal rights of low-income Texans, and to make legal information accessible for all. Our Crime Victim Unit assists survivors of crime with civil legal issues they are facing because of the crime committed against them. Our Justice for Crime Survivors Project provides services and assistance directly to victims […]
During exactly four years of marriage, Tiffany endured tragic physical, financial, and emotional abuse. It started on their honeymoon cruise when her husband Aaron smashed her head into the sink of their cabin. She encountered another night where Eric beat her up so badly, dragged her by her hair out in the yard, and left her on the street throughout […]
EPA Objects to Valero Houston Refinery’s Title V Air Permit Due to TCEQ Compliance Failure, Continues to Rely on Harmful Policy that Endangers Clean Air Media Contacts: Tom Pelton, Environmental Integrity Project, 443-510-2574 or tpelton@environmentalintegrity.org Alexandria Trimble, Earthjustice, (202) 792-6889, atrimble@earthjustice.org Clarissa Ayala, Lone Star Legal Aid, 832-627-8404, cayala@lonestarlegal.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, July 7, 2022 Austin, Texas – The U.S. Environmental […]
Doctors diagnosed Joseph with Progressive Glaucoma, which is an eye condition that causes damage to the optic nerve resulting in permanent vision loss. He was told his eyesight would gradually fade over several years until he was blind, but little did he know he would be involved in an accident that would dramatically change his life sooner than he thought. […]
Doctors diagnosed Joseph with Progressive Glaucoma, which is an eye condition that causes damage to the optic nerve resulting in permanent vision loss. He was told his eyesight would gradually fade over several years until he was blind, but little did he know he would be involved in an accident that would dramatically change his life sooner than he thought. […]
Texas has Refused to Fix Problems in its Air Permitting Program that Affect Environmental Justice and Public Participation FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, June 28, 2022 Media Contacts: Tom Pelton, Environmental Integrity Project, 443-510-2574 or tpelton@environmentalintegrity.org Alexandria Trimble, Earthjustice, (202) 792-6889, atrimble@earthjustice.org Clarissa Ayala, Lone Star Legal Aid, 832-627-8404, cayala@lonestarlegal.org Austin, Texas – Today, the Environmental Integrity Project and twelve other […]
Today the world provides opportunities for communities to promote a better understanding of elder abuse and neglect of older people. Organizations are working with community partners and professional groups around the world to raise awareness about adult abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation. Our elderly population routinely faces several forms of abuse, like neglect and financial exploitation. Consistently educating the public […]
June is the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s National Homeownership Month, a time to celebrate the benefits that homeownership brings to families, neighborhoods, and communities across America. To learn more about National Homeownership Month, read the Presidential Proclamation. June is also the beginning of the Gulf Hurricane Season. Lone Star Legal Aid joins National Homeownership Month by sharing resources […]
Like most college students, Janet and her friends sought affordable housing near the University of Houston to alleviate the financial and mental stress of being commuters. The four ladies found a house near campus rented by a private landlord and excitedly signed a one-year lease. However, within months of moving in, the maintenance requests had begun to pile up. The […]
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 […]
The rise in recent school shootings Mass school shootings are a traumatic event that can potentially trigger mental health disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in people who were directly impacted by a violent threat such as a school shooting. Studies show that adolescent trauma has more lifelong effects on young people with developing brains. This causes them to […]