This is the first monthly letter coming out of the Pillsbury United Communities (PUC) supported legal clinics! Mid Minnesota Legal Aid (MMLA) partners with the Brian Coyle Center and Waite House to provide a host of free legal services to low-income and elderly clients. Each month we will share the work we are doing, some numbers, and helpful resources for the community.
Brian Coyle Center Legal Clinic
Legal Aid’s Legal Clinic at the Brian Coyle Center (420 15th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55454) has grown to offer nearly every service that Legal Aid has to offer. Here is how that breaks down every week:
Monday and Tuesday 9 AM – 3 PM (General)
- Guardianship
- Divorce
- Custody
- Public Benefits
- Consumer Issues
- Criminal Expungement
- Landlord / Tenant
- And More!
Wednesday 9 AM – 3 PM (Housing)
- Evictions
- Eviction Expungements
- Damaged or Unsafe Housing
- Housing subsidy problems
- Lost security deposits
Thursday 9 AM – 3 PM (Immigration)
- Naturalization
- Green Cards
- Derivative Citizenship
- Adjustment of Status
- U/T Visa
- VAWA
Waite House Legal Clinic
MMLA’s immigration legal clinic at Waite House (2323 11th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55404) provides much needed brief services and advice for immigration matters including: pro se asylum applications, pro se work card applications, and brief advice and consultations. It is open every Monday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, appointments can be made with the front desk staff at Waite House, walk-ins are also welcomed.
A Story and a Lesson
Ahmed was facing a collection action, and sought our help at the Brian Coyle Center. We carefully reviewed his financial situation and saw he was receiving Medical Assistance—a “needs-based” public benefit. Fortunately for Ahmed, Minnesota exempts anyone receiving needs-based assistance from collection. We informed Ahmed of his rights and offered to help assert these exemptions. If you (or someone you know) cannot afford to pay a debt and is facing collection, come into the Brian Coyle Center Legal Clinic to see if your income is protected. You can learn more here: https://www.lawhelpmn.org/
A Look at the Numbers
In February the Brian Coyle Center Legal Clinic opened 22 new cases and closed 25 cases. During that same time, Waite House opened 7 new cases and closed 15 cases. It is normal for the Brian Coyle Clinic to have more cases each month because it is open more days a week.
Here are some graphs with each clinic’s monthly new and closed cases. New cases opened in the month are in blue. Cases closed in the month are in orange.
