Client, a single mother of three children, seeks assistance in her defense against the forfeiture of her home. Client rented a room in her home to a tenant referred to her by another tenant. Tenant was arrested and house was searched but no drugs were found, but forfeiture proceedings were initiated. Tenant is currently incarcerated and no longer lives in the home. Client states that she had no knowledge of tenant’s activity and would not have rented the room to tenant had she known about drugs. Client needs representation to answer petition and represent her in forfeiture. Status conference is scheduled for September 24, 2010 at 9 am in City Hall Courtroom 478. Client is Spanish speaking. Translation and interpretation assistance are available.
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Civil Forfeiture
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59
Custody
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59
Client, maternal grandmother, seeks representation in a custody matter. Client has primary physical and legal custody of her three children, ages fourteen, eleven, and seven. Opposing party, mother, abandoned the children in client's care over six years ago. Opposing party is now seeking primary physical custody and seeks to remove the eldest child from a private prep school where the child is excelling. Opposing party is represented by counsel. Client needs representation at custody master's hearing scheduled on January 6, 2011 before Master Karen Walton.
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59
Client, a mother who has little contact with her child since November 2006, needs assistance in a custody matter. Temporary order currently in place gives client phone contact only with her child. Client seeks to expand her custody rights from once a week phone contact to in-person visits with her child. Client’s son lives with foster family in Delaware. Client needs representation at hearing before Judge Matthews on December 7, 2010 to obtain partial custody.
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59
Client seeks assistance with obtaining custody of her two sons, born in 2004 and 2007. A single mother, Client currently has the children but wants to formalize custody because of concerns about the father's role in the children's lives. The children's father has a criminal record, was recently released from prison in Florida, and has a history of drug use. There is currently a PFA against the father. Client has filed for custody; a master's hearing before Beverly Robinson is scheduled for Oct. 1, 2010 at 9:30am.
Divorce
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59Qualified Domestic Relations Order
Client, who was divorced from opposing party in 1999, seeks assistance in recovery of the portion of opposing party’s pension she was awarded. Divorce decree states that client is to receive 60% of marital portion of husband's benefits but Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) was never formally approved by the court. QDRO was approved by plan administrator in 1999. Opposing party is approaching retirement. Client needs representation to have QDRO approved by new plan administrator and the court so she can obtain portion of benefits she was awarded in divorce proceedings.
Employment
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59
Client, a father of two children, seeks assistance in an unemployment benefits matter. Client was terminated from his job in December 2009. In December, client tried to secure unemployment benefits while looking for new employment. Client was unable to attend hearing as scheduled and was denied benefits. Client needs representation to determine if he is eligible for benefits and to appeal the denial so that he can stabilize his family with this income until he finds a new job.
Guardianship
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59
Client, a retired grandfather, seeks representation to obtain guardianship over his adult daughter. Client's daughter has been in a coma since December 2006. Client's wife had been legal guardian, but she passed away in March 2010. Client now needs to become legal guardian so that someone can manage the daughter's affairs.
Incorporation
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105
Buddhist temple that provides Buddhists a place to pray and learn more about their faith needs assistance in incorporating and obtaining tax exempt status. They are the only Buddhist temple in the area that caters to Mandarain-speaking Buddhists, while the other temples serve only the Cambodian population. Contact speaks Mandarin but interpretation assistance is available.
Name Change
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59
Client, a single mother of three, seeks representation in effort to obtain a name change of her ten-year-old son. The child has the surname of someone Client was dating at the time the child was born. Client does not want child to have the name of someone he is not related to; the child consents to the name change. Client needs representation to obtain court order to change child's name to her last name and to have birth certificate amended.
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59Delayed Birth Certificate
Client, a ninety-three-year-old grandmother, seeks assistance in obtaining a delayed birth certificate. Client was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico, but there was no record of birth on file with Vital Records. Client needs to obtain a delayed birth certificate from Puerto Rico to obtain PA state identification.
