By Nyesha Stone
Mobile Legal Clinic bus. Photo provided by Jack Ceschin.
Understanding the legal system is a challenge for some but being able to navigate your way through can be even more difficult. Just like the school system, an individual’s zip code can determine and affect the resources that individual may or may not receive when it comes to receiving legal help.
To counter this injustice, the Milwaukee Justice Center Mobile Legal Clinic: A Project of Marquette University Law School, or Mobile Legal Clinic for short, is providing free law advice to Milwaukeeans.
Mobile Legal Clinic started in 2013. It has multiple events or stops in different neighborhoods throughout the city where they provide legal advice. This month alone they have seven areas in the city where they’ll be located with their bus to give the community legal advice.
Those in search of advice can get help on various topics including evictions, bill collections, child support, foreclosure, small claims (under $10,000) and much more.
“We cover just about anything,” except criminal cases, said AmeriCorps Public Ally Jack Ceschin.
Ceschin works with Mobile Legal Clinic through Public Allies, and he said the project has been increasing in attendees. They’ve gone from around four events per month to around eight, and they’ve already provided help for over 100 people, this year.
Typically, two to three attorneys are on the bus providing advice. All the participating attorneys are volunteers through different local law firms.
There are many Milwaukeeans, specifically low-income ones, who don’t have access to receive advice on what to do with their legal woes, as a result, they end up shorthanded in the court system. When an individual doesn’t understand how the law system works, they can be mistreated and not realize it.
Thankfully, Mobile Legal Clinic is trying to fight that inequality.
“The people in Milwaukee should have equal access to the law system,” said Ceschin. “We just want to help and make someone’s life a little bit easier.”
Mobile Legal Clinic is helping close one of Milwaukee’s gap, specifically the legal one. It’s no secret that the city of Milwaukee isn’t equal to all of its residents. And, it’s no secret that the minorities in the city receive the least amount of help.
“The difference in someone’s life is dictated by their zip code,” said Ceschin, and knowing your legal rights can change someone’s life. Milwaukee Legal Clinic knows that, so they continue to do their service.
To find out more about Mobile Legal Clinic visit https://www.mkemobilelegalclinic.com/ or find a Mobile Legal Clininc stop near you.
