For years, Alana lived in fear of Brett, the father of her two children. Before he went to prison, Brett’s physical and emotional abuse cast a long, dark shadow over their lives. Even after he was locked up, the harassment didn’t end. Brett still called and threatened her, always trying to keep control through fear.…
When Mrs. Jefferson adopted her two great-grandchildren, she was determined to give them a safe and loving home. However, as a retiree living on Social Security, she felt overwhelmed by the financial burden. Hoping for some relief, she claimed the children on her tax return — only to discover her claim had been rejected because…
Marcie watched helplessly as her son, Caden, missed almost an entire year of school. Repeated suspensions for behaviors related to his ADHD meant he attended only 13 days of seventh grade. With no assignments sent home, he kept falling further behind. As a single mom, Marcie was exhausted and overwhelmed. She just wanted her son…
Imagine serving your country, coming home, and building a quiet life — only to find yourself shivering through a Missouri winter inside your own home. That’s what happened to Bruce, a veteran renting a small trailer outside Kansas City. When his heat broke, he assumed his landlord would fix it quickly. Instead, nothing was done.…
Caleb’s mother adopted him from foster care when he was just 18 months old. As part of their adoption agreement, the State promised Caleb Medicaid coverage, guaranteeing any medically necessary treatment he might need before turning 21. Fast forward to when Caleb turned 13 — his dentist saw that he needed braces and sent Caleb to a…
Danielle and her 10-year-old daughter, Macy, lived in fear. For years, Danielle’s partner and Macy’s father, Mike, controlled them through violence. When Danielle decided to leave, he trapped them in their home and attacked them. A neighbor called the police, who arrived and instructed Mike to spend the night elsewhere. When Mike left, he took…
Ronda was excited to start fresh with her new housing voucher, quickly securing a home for herself and her multiracial children. But the property manager’s attitude shifted when they saw her family. Shortly after, Ronda received a violation notice for her emotional support animal despite providing proper documentation. The manager dismissed her rights, saying, “We…
At 88 years old, Albert never imagined being forced from his home. He lived in a camper on his daughter Sheila’s property. One day, everything changed. In a fit of anger, Sheila threw his cane at him, leaving a bruise and breaking his watch. She then filed for an order of protection against him. Confused…
Ellen arrived at the Jackson County Courthouse feeling overwhelmed. A creditor was suing her for a debt she didn’t recognize, and she suspected her abusive ex-husband, Luis, had used her credit card without permission. Unsure how to defend herself, Ellen brought a police report documenting Luis’ abuse but didn’t know if it would help. Then,…
Irene, living only on Social Security, took her car to a repair shop because the sensor lights kept coming on and the car would shudder when she drove it. Due to her limited resources, she asked the repair shop to call her with an estimate before making any repairs. According to Irene, the agreement was…
For years Kristi’s husband, Daniel, beat her severely. He sexually assaulted her, ripped out her hair, and during the last beating, he gagged their young child. That night, the neighbors called 911. When the police arrived, Daniel told Kristi to pretend she was asleep and threatened to kill her if she opened the door. Despite…
Jeff was referred to Legal Aid by a community partner. His Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments had been suspended for an unknown reason. While his Legal Aid attorney was investigating his SSI benefits, she learned he also had an issue with his subsidized housing. One of Legal Aid’s housing team attorneys accepted the housing case.…
Cassie lives alone on a fixed income. One day, she got a phone call from someone claiming to be a debt collector who threatened her with arrest and foreclosure if she didn’t pay a debt from the early 2000s—a debt she had no knowledge of. The collector tricked Cassie into paying $2,800 on her credit…
One night, Ericka’s husband brutally attacked her with a crowbar. The police connected her with a domestic violence advocate who referred her to Legal Aid for help with an order of protection. Ericka wanted to ensure that she and her daughter were included on the order. Her daughter witnessed the attack and was afraid her…
Anita had worked retail and restaurant jobs her entire life. When she reached full retirement age, she began receiving her Social Security benefits. She could not live off of her retirement benefit alone, so she continued to work part-time at a local department store. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Anita’s doctor told her she should…
Steve, his wife, and their children lived in a rented house before the COVID-19 pandemic. When the pandemic hit, Steve and his wife both lost their jobs. Like so many families in this situation, they did their best to keep up. But with no income coming in, they got behind on their rent. Their landlord…
We all have that one friend who is ready and willing to lend a helping hand. That’s Helene. Helene is 79 years old and cares for her adult disabled son. Helene contacted Legal Aid because the Family Support Division (FSD) rejected her food stamp application due to a finding that her available resources exceeded the…
Ms. Hopkins is an 87-year-old woman with health and mobility issues. She called Legal Aid after her monthly mortgage payment increased to a level that she could not afford. Initially, Legal Aid assisted Ms. Hopkins in discovering that her homeowner’s insurance premium had gone up and helped Ms. Hopkins find a better deal. However, after…
Jane is probably quite like someone you know; she loves her daughter and would do almost anything to keep her safe. Jane originally applied to Legal Aid for help getting an order of protection against her baby’s father, George. During Jane’s pregnancy, George had become physically abusive, pushing her and almost knocking her to the…
Marco is a 64-year-old grandfather, neighbor, and friend. For decades, he ran his own cleaning business. Sadly, Marco had to sell his business when he could no longer work due to congestive heart failure, heart disease, kidney disease, and diabetes. Without his business, Marco had no income to pay for basic expenses and the medical…
Barb contacted us via our Legal Aid CARES Hotline. The Hotline was set up in April to answer questions about CARES Act stimulus payments. Barb explained to the Legal Aid attorney that she was waiting on her stimulus check and her tax refund, neither of which she had received. Like so many workers, Barb’s hours…
Michael was living his dream working a job he loved that provided for his family — until he was in a car accident and suffered a traumatic brain injury. The injury resulted in significant cognitive impairment and seizures. Because of these lasting effects, Michael lost his job. Soon after this, his wife left him and…
Walt loves people and loves to make them laugh. Walt also lives in a nursing home and suffers from dementia. The Family Support Division (FSD) denied his application for Medicaid because it concluded that Walt failed to provide documentation regarding the sale of his former home. He sold his home just prior to moving into…
Amy is a veteran and has a young son with physical disabilities. Her son, Sam, was born missing his right hand at the wrist. Amy’s husband, Ryan, had recently threatened to kill Amy in front of Sam and her niece. Amy left Ryan after several violent attacks, including one where he put her head through…
Carmen contacted Legal Aid after she was served with a summons in a credit card collection case. Carmen, an elderly widow with significant health problems, was scheduled for cancer surgery the following week. She was afraid that she would return from the hospital and her mobile home would be taken away from her because of…
Brandi, a 27-year-old mother of two, lived in a Section 8 property. Because Brandi’s only income was Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), her portion of the rent was zero. Brandi’s lease came up for renewal and the Housing Authority of Kansas City conducted an annual housing quality inspection. The property failed due to several…
Charles was interested in rehabbing a debilitated, vacant property in his neighborhood. He was able to locate and contact the property’s owner, and they made an agreement: in exchange for $100 cash, the owner would grant Charles permission to occupy the premises and rehab the property to avert the demolition. The owner also promised Charles…
Karen is a high school senior and a very serious student. Last year, she frequently missed school, lost weight and made multiple emergency room visits. When Migrant Farmworker Project (MFP) learned of Karen’s problems, staff obtained a referral for her to be seen at Children’s Mercy Hospital. Her kidney was so enlarged by that time…
Anne, who is elderly and in poor health, received a hand-written note from an investment company offering to buy her home. Anne had considered selling her house because of her concern that she may not be able keep up with the maintenance. She called the investment company and scheduled an appointment. The next day, two…
Cheryl is a sixty-four year old woman and for the first time in her life, she was being sued and it was by a payday loan company. Cheryl was worried about how this would impact her ability to maintain her household. As a great-grandmother, she maintained a four-generation household and her monthly income was not…
When Bob, 62, came to Legal Aid for help, he was dying of heart failure. After being told by his doctors there was nothing they could do to save his life, Bob moved in with his brother and was cared for by a local hospice care provider. Although he was dying, Missouri Medicaid ruled that…
Charlie, a retired Air Force veteran, contacted Legal Aid for help obtaining legal guardianship of his granddaughter Brooke. Brooke and her mother (Charlie’s daughter) had lived with Charlie since Brooke was an infant. After ten happy, stable years, Charlie’s daughter was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Charlie took over the care of Brooke and continued…
During Denise and Kirk’s relationship, Kirk frequently talked down to Denise, telling her she wasn’t good enough for him. When Denise became pregnant, Kirk threw her belongings out of his home and tried to pressure her into getting an abortion. Denise had the baby and allowed Kirk visits. At the end of one of these…
Allen was born with kidney failure. At six months old, he was one of the youngest people in Missouri to receive a kidney transplant and he has been on medications his entire life. Allen is now 34 and his kidney is failing again. He must receive a new kidney or he will die. His sister…
When Kate married Tom, she didn’t know the person he would become. He had been kind and gentle with her while dating, but Tom’s behavior began changing shortly after they got married. Tom suffered from mental health issues, and his doctor prescribed him medication. Tom didn’t want to take the medication, no matter how much…
Joe was a homeless man who kept being picked up for trespassing at Crown Center, where he would sleep in a box on a corner in that area. Joe had a diagnosis of schizophrenia, but wasn’t medication compliant. He wasn’t engaged with any community-based behavioral health center except to go to Swope Health Services once…
Rick came to Legal Aid seeking help because the home he had recently inherited from his mother was at risk of foreclosure due to unpaid taxes. Rick’s home had been in his family for years and was the home where his mother lived prior to her passing. Rick had spent much of his childhood there…
Beth Ann, 28, grew up in a home where being a female was of little value. Her father and brother spent years telling her she was insignificant. To keep her in her place, Beth Ann’s father would often beat her. One time he beat her in the backyard where a neighbor saw what was happening…
Toni came to Legal Aid seeking help with a mortgage loan that was at risk of foreclosure. Years ago, Toni and her husband purchased their home together. Shortly before his death, and unbeknownst to Toni, her husband had taken out a mortgage on their home solely in his name. It had been his intention to…
Andrea’s daughter was ready to start kindergarten. She had been receiving special education services in pre-school, which the school district terminated without holding an Individual Education Program (IEP) meeting or conducting a re-evaluation. Andrea contacted Legal Aid for assistance with her child’s special education issue and was referred to the Volunteer Attorney Project. A VAP…
Wilma contacted Legal Aid for assistance regarding her rental home. Her basement flooded, her bedroom ceiling was collapsing due to leaks in the roof, cabinet doors often fell off in the kitchen and hit Wilma in the head, and the windows did not properly seal. Legal Aid contacted Wilma’s landlord and informed him of all…
Randall was living in a homeless shelter. He has a history of mental illness along with a history of alcohol and substance abuse. Mental health and substance abuse issues ran in his family; Randall’s brother, who had been dealing with similar circumstances, had committed suicide a few years prior. Randall knew he had to change…
Arturo, who is legally blind and cannot work, struggled to get by on meager monthly payments he received under the Supplemental Aid to the Blind program. He contacted Legal Aid after receiving a notice from the Missouri Family Support Division that his Supplemental Aid to the Blind benefits were being terminated and he had been…
Although Roger served in the National Guard for five years, his service did not qualify him to receive medical care or benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Roger has ongoing mental health problems, some of which stemmed from being homeless for over 20 years. Roger was unable to obtain medical treatment because of his…
Frederick’s utilities were disconnected while he was hospitalized for a life-threatening liver condition. When he was released from the hospital, he had no power or water and the police refused to allow Frederick to stay in a home with no utilities. He was forced to get a hotel room that night. Frederick could not afford…
Joanna was tricked into buying the mortgage on a vacant and blighted home in Kansas City’s urban core by an investor who had purchased the property upon a prior foreclosure. Joanna is low-income but she was promised the investor would rent out the home and repay the mortgage with the revenue made by renting the…
Fred was referred to Legal Aid by a community partner. His Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments had been suspended for an unknown reason. While his Legal Aid attorney was investigating his SSI benefits, she learned he was also having an issue with his subsidized housing. One of Legal Aid’s housing team attorneys accepted the housing…
Weldon is a disabled man living on a small fixed income. He contacted Legal Aid after his home was foreclosed on and he faced imminent eviction. Due to his poor health, Weldon was unable to find appropriate housing quickly and needed to delay his eviction. In reviewing Weldon’s case, his Legal Aid attorney realized that…
The Municipal Court Defense Unit of Legal Aid began representing Mary in April. Mary had a driving while suspended case as well as several other driving charges. Her Legal Aid attorney advised Mary on how to get back her driver’s license and she followed the instructions. Due to Mary’s hard work and her attorney’s advocacy,…
Brenda came to Legal Aid for assistance obtaining a custody order for her three children. The children’s father, Wayne, was in prison at the time for robbery and domestic assault. Wayne had abused and harassed Brenda for almost a decade. He punched her in the face repeatedly, kicked her in the face and stomach, tried…
When Irene’s husband passed away, she did not have enough resources to pay for his funeral. As a last resort, she and her disabled son went to a “payday loan” company to borrow $150 each.
Monica and her husband, Art, had three children together. During their marriage, Art severely abused Monica by such acts as pulling her by her ankles off a couch, trying to push her out of a moving car while she was pregnant with their middle child, throwing a phone book at her face the night before…
Legal Aid’s immigration team began working with Abella in 2016. She wanted to apply for citizenship but couldn’t afford to pay the $680 application filing fee. Abella was separating from her husband. She applied for food stamps for her toddler daughter but was denied. Had she been approved, the food stamps award letter could have…
Marge paid $50 per month toward a previous tax balance for years, even though her only sources of income were SSI, food stamps, and housing assistance. She thought she had finally made the last payment when the IRS sent her a new bill, including penalties and interest, which brought the balance back to $700. Marge…
Jack, an elderly man with severe memory problems, first contacted our Joplin Legal Aid office for help with a housing issue. Jack had allowed an individual to live with him rent-free on the condition the tenant would manage Jack’s money and pay his bills. What Jack did not know was that the tenant was stealing…
Sara, a 24 year old woman, had been struggling with mental illness since her teens. Her struggle with mental illness had caused her to be brought in to police custody on criminal charges. While in custody a Legal Aid attorney met with Sara and believed she was displaying signs of mental illness. The attorney presented…
Beth came to Legal Aid because she was struggling to have her Housing Choice Voucher processed by the Housing Authority of Kansas City
In December 2015, a participating neighborhood association under Legal Aid’s Adopt-A-Neighborhood Project (AAN), approached the AAN team about a problem property in the neighborhood. AAN investigated the conditions of the property, determined it was eligible for the Abandoned Housing Act, and assisted the neighborhood association in vetting a local community partner in Kansas City to…
Ted applied for Medicaid and his claim was denied after an administrative hearing. Legal Aid staff filed an appeal on his behalf, which was sustained, in part, because it was clear from the hearing decision that the hearing officer had simply failed to examine a good part of the over-600 pages of medical evidence in…
Maria contacted Legal Aid after she received an audit notice from the IRS regarding her 2013 tax return. She had never received a notice from the IRS before and only hoped she had not inadvertently done something wrong by claiming her grandchildren on her tax return. Maria was especially nervous because she did not have…
Teresa came to Legal Aid in a desperate moment. After faithfully paying her mortgage for years, she fell behind following the loss of her husband’s income. Threatened with foreclosure, she feared losing the home she had worked so hard to maintain. But with the help of her Legal Aid attorney, everything changed. By accessing refunds…
Gloria contacted Legal Aid’s Warrensburg office on behalf of her friend Carla, who had severe mental disabilities and was in need of emergency treatment for cancer. Due to her disabilities, Carla’s doctors would not provide the appropriate treatment that she required until she had a guardian. Carla’s husband Harold did not have the capacity to…
