Tomorrow, April 5th from noon – 5 p.m. at the Law School (map) at Ole Miss, the Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project (MLVP) will be sponsoring free CLE for lawyers and a free Legal Clinic for the public. Click here and here for more information.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Time: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Location:
University of Mississippi School of Law
481 Coliseum Drive
University, Mississippi
This Texas Divorce Complaint is the funniest Pro Se filing I have ever seen. The Plaintiff in the case was apparently a lawyer from Texas with a very odd sense of humor. Besides several lines that are hysterical, he has several little drawings that add a really nice touch. This is my favorite part:
There is no child born or adopted of this marriage although Petitioner swears on oath that he did everything he could to knock her up, but she isn’t pregnant and won’t have another child…
Upcoming Events:
MVLP & UM Law School Partners To Offer: “It Starts With the Basics” Family Law CLE/Legal Clinic
www.probono.net/ms/calendar/event.417236
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Time: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Location:
University of Mississippi School of Law
481 Coliseum Drive
University, Mississippi
By: University of Mississippi School of Law, MS Volunteer Lawyers Project (MVLP)
MVLP FREE CLE “Family Law Basics” and a Legal Clinic “Aid for the People”, in McComb
www.probono.net/ms/calendar/event.417240
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Time: 12:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Location:
Pike-Amite-Walthall Library
1022 Virginia Avenue
McComb, Mississippi
By: MS Volunteer Lawyers Project (MVLP)
MVLP and Washington County Chancery Court Pro Se Divorce Legal Clinic-Greenville, MS
www.probono.net/ms/calendar/event.417242
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Time: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Location:
Washington County Chancery Court
900 Washington Avenue
Greenville, MS
By: Washington County Chancery Court, MS Volunteer Lawyers Project (MVLP)
Generally speaking, you will need to qualify to have a lawyer take your case. In Mississippi, lawyers are required to do a certain amount of pro bono hours or make a contribution to a fund that helps indigent litigants. Most attorneys do not just pick a client at random for their pro bono hours. Most will work through an organization like the Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project (MVLP) or a local shelter that will track and verify that the attorney did provide pro bono services.
If you are a victim of domestic violence, a local shelter may be able to assist you with an attorney. If you do not know where or how to contact your local shelter, place a call your local police or sheriff’s department and ask them where they refer victims of domestic violence.
Here are a few resources you may want to contact:
The Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project (MVLP)
PHONE: (601) 960-9577
TOLL FREE: 1-800-682-0047
www.mvlp.net
North Mississippi Rural Legal Services (NMRLS)
www.nmrls.com
Administrative Office
5 County Road 1014
P. O. Box 767
Oxford, Mississippi 38655
PHONE: (662)234-8731
FAX: (662)236-3263
TOLL FREE: 1-800-898-8731
Clarksdale Office
526D Choctaw Street
P. O. Box 1107
Clarksdale, Mississippi 38614
PHONE: (662) 627-4184
FAX: (662)624-4009
TOLL FREE: 1-800-388-3163
The Clarksdale office serves the following counties: Bolivar, Coahoma, Quitman, Tallahatchie and Tunica Counties.
Greenville Office
1024 Washington Avenue, Suite 101
P. O. Box 858
Greenville, Mississippi 38701
PHONE: (662) 335-8203
FAX: (662) 335-7500
TOLL FREE: 1-800-545-1909
The Greenville office serves the following counties: Humphries, Issaquena, Leflore, Sharkey, Sunflower and Washington Counties.
Oxford Office
5 County Road 1014
P. O. Box 928
Oxford, Mississippi 38655
PHONE: (662) 234-2918
FAX: (662) 234-2965
TOLL FREE: 1-800-559-5074
The Oxford office serves the following counties: Alcorn, Benton, Calhoun, DeSoto, Grenada, Lafayette, Marshall, Panola, Prentiss, Pontotoc, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Union, and Yalobusha Counties.
West Point Office
313 Highway 45 Alternate South
P. O. Box 277
West Point, Mississippi 39773
PHONE: (662) 494-6122
FAX: (662) 494-0670
TOLL FREE: 1-800-898-6122
The West Point office serves the following counties: Attala, Carroll, Clay, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Itawamba, Lee, Lowndes, Monroe, Montgomery, Oktibbeha, Webster and Winston Counties.
The Mississippi Center for Legal Services Corporation (MCLSC)
www.mclsc.com
Administrative and Hattiesburg Offices
111 East front Street (39401)
Post Office Box 1728
Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39403-1728
PHONE: (601) 545-2950
FAX: (601) 545-2935
TOLL FREE: 1-800-773-1737
Gulfport Office and Fair Housing Center
520 East Pass Road Suite J
Gulfport, Mississippi 39507
PHONE: (228) 896-9148
FAX: (228) 896-9196
TOLL FREE: 1-800-498-1804
Jackson and State initiatives Office
(Includes Telephone Intake Unit)
414 South State Street
Suite 300 (39201)
Post Office Box 951
Jackson, Mississippi 39205-0951
PHONE: (601) 948-6752
FAX: (601) 948-6759
TOLL FREE: 1-800-959-6752
TOLL FREE: 1-800-498-1804
McComb Office
221 Main Street (39648)
Post Office Box 575
McComb, Mississippi 39649-0575
PHONE: (601) 684-0578
FAX: (601) 684-0575
TOLL FREE: 1-800-498-1804
Meridian Office
2305 Fifth Street
2nd Floor (39302)
Post Office Box 1931
Meridian, Mississippi 39302-1931
PHONE: (601) 693-5470
FAX: (601) 693-5473
TOLL FREE: 1-800-498-1804
The Mississippi Center for Legal Services Corporation serves the following 43 counties: Adams, Amite, Claiborne, Clarke, Copiah, Covington, Forrest, Franklin, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Hinds, Holmes, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Kemper, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Leake, Lincoln, Madison, Marion, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Pearl, River, Perry, Pike, Rankin, Scott, Simpson, Smith, Stone, Walthall, Wayne, Wilkinson, and Yazoo County.
The University of Mississippi School of Law Civil Legal Clinic
law.olemiss.edu/CLC/
PHONE: (662) 915-7429
I have seen many Pro Se litigants shocked and alarmed that their divorce was denied by a Judge or Family Master. “What’s wrong?” they will say, “I paid a lot of money for those papers.” The papers are generally not very specific and not even written for a Mississippi divorce. They have blanks and check boxes and many people filling them out don’t understand what it means or think it does not apply to their situation, so they just don’t put anything there. Judges don’t like blank spaces or check boxes not properly filled out because someone could go back and change the entire meaning of the order.
Even worse, some have filed papers and think that’s all that needs to be done. They are shocked to find out later that somehow they are not divorced. They have moved on with their lives; some have even married again.
What most people don’t realize is that the paperwork is the easy part. They could just go down to the courthouse and find a divorce (all public record) with similar circumstances, change the names, dates, etc., and save hundreds of dollars. But what then? Many will ask the clerk for help, but the clerks know that only a lawyer can give legal advice. The rules and procedures involved are found in the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure. Also, depending on how complex your case is, you might also need the Mississippi Rules of Evidence. If you don’t understand them, you may want to call an attorney. Many will even take payment plans, if you can’t pay it all up front.
If you do go it alone, remember, a judge must hold you to the standard they would an attorney. A mistake in your filings or in your testimony can end your case rather quickly. And if you say something like, “Pursuant to Rule 81(d)” you had better know what you are talking about, because you will likely be asked.
