old disabled man who is the sole caregiver of his teenage grandson . He fell into debt when he became disabled and had to stop working in 2014 . His only income now is Social Security Disability Insurance benefits . Over the years since he stopped working , T accrued more than $ 40,000 in mostly credit card debt . The stress of mounting debt and pursuit by creditors was becoming unbearable . He came to VLP seeking help . VLP ’ s bankruptcy paralegal helped T gather credit reports and other documentation of his debt . A pro bono attorney counseled T about his options and prepared and filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition on his behalf . A VLP staff attorney helped him get a collection case in district court dismissed . The bankruptcy court discharged all of T ’ s debt , allowing him to have a financial fresh start and relieving his stress .
• 3rd Circuit - Volunteer Lawyers for Justice ( VLJ ). T , a survivor of domestic violence , came to VLJ because she was experiencing homelessness due to job loss , which led to also owing $ 20,416 in rental arrears to her former landlord . T had recently relocated to California after fleeing domestic violence in New Jersey . She was fortunate to find a transitional housing program in that state that supported her to seek employment and build savings for the next stable living environment . VLJ placed her case with a volunteer bankruptcy attorney who moved quickly to file her Chapter 7 petition before she had been out of New Jersey for more than 90 days . The volunteer did an excellent job representing her and T obtained her Chapter 7 discharge this year , giving her a meaningful fresh start as she moves forward in her new state .
• 5th Circuit - The Pro Bono Project . L requested legal help from The Pro Bono Project with a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case . She was self-employed , a student , had
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the 2023 DEI Grantees Here
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recently lost her transportation due to a car accident and had about $ 45,000 in debt . She gave us a list of her creditors and debts and met with a volunteer attorney to discuss her legal options . After he determined that L was a candidate for Chapter 7 , another volunteer accepted the case . The volunteer attorney met with the client , made sure that she met all of the legal requirements to move forward with bankruptcy represented her at a hearing , and ultimately secured a discharge order forgiving her debts . The client is now able to move on with her life and pursue her goal .
• 8th Circuit - Volunteer Lawyers Network . C was a chapter 7 bankruptcy client on SSDI who was unable to work due to mental health and previous addiction issues ( C was over ten years of sobriety when he came to VLN for help ). Like many clients , C felt guilty about filing for bankruptcy , so he tried to negotiate his bills but found this was impossible to achieve with his creditors . After further counsel , C accepted that bankruptcy was a moral option for him , and he successfully completed a chapter 7 bankruptcy through VLN , repeatedly telling VLN of his gratitude for how this has impacted his life for the good .
• 9th Circuit - Neighborhood Legal Services of LA County . P is a creditor who came to us for help . Her former partner was seeking to discharge a child support obligation . She had opposed a motion to strip a judgment lien that was incurred in the legal fight to
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