Judge Orders Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) to End Unemployment Insurance Backlog and Fix Issues at the Agency    Legal Aid groups and their Pro Bono Partners will monitor the VEC’s progress to ensure Virginians who have been struggling, often for months, get access to the relief they are owed   …

  The Virginia Employment Commission Responds to Lawsuit About Delays in Unemployment Payments with…a Request to Delay.  Despite having been fully informed about the issues detailed in the lawsuit more than six months ago, the VEC moves to put the case on hold for an extra month. Richmond VA –…

In solidarity with Richmond youth and as part of our multi-year effort to end school pushout and the school-to-prison pipeline, today the Legal Aid Justice Center sent a letter to the City of Richmond School Board and the Richmond Public Schools administration asking that Richmond divest from its School Resource…

Today LAJC sent a letter to the Alexandria (Va) City Council in support of student demands for a police-free Alexandria City Public School system. Youth advocates at our longtime partner organization, Tenants and Workers United, have petitioned the City Council for a budget amendment that would divest nearly $800,000 from Alexandria’s…

Learn more about the lawsuit and how you can take action here   ­­­­Class Action Lawsuit Filed to Fix Historic Failures by Virginia’s Unemployment Insurance System Legal Aid groups and pro bono partners charge the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) with violating the rights of Virginians who have been cut off…

The 2021 General Assembly session is wrapping up, and all the bills and budget amendments that passed the Virginia House and Senate are on their way to the Governor to be signed into law. Successfully advocating for legislation at the GA is a tough job in the best of circumstances,…

download pdf version here Today, Virginians are one step away from a major victory: criminal record sealing that is automatic, equitable, free, and far reaching. Bills (SB1339, HB2113) that will greatly expand and improve the process of sealing criminal records have successfully passed both houses and are awaiting Governor Northam’s…

Download PDF version here TAKE ACTION – CLICK TO TELL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TO SUPPORT OUR AGENDA Criminal Legal System Reform  Expungement – Virginia’s criminal records expungement law is in urgent need of change. We must create an automatic expungement system that is equitable, far-reaching, automatic, and free.   Court Fines and…

After suffering a serious illness, Adolfo and his family found themselves facing eviction. Fortunately, he found help.  If you are concerned about keeping your home during the COVID-19 pandemic click here to learn more about your rights through federal and state policies.  

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Download a pdf version here December 21, 2020The Honorable Ralph NorthamGovernor of VirginiaP.O. Box 1475Richmond, VA 23218 RE:  Ensuring Accurate Information, Access, Safeguards, and Fair Processes: Marginalized Groups and Virginia’s COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plans Dear Governor Northam, On behalf of the Legal Aid Justice Center (LAJC), I write to urge…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DATE: November 10, 2020   PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS REACH SETTLEMENT WITH HOPEWELL REDEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING AUTHORITY ON CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT     Richmond, VA — Public housing tenants and the Hopewell Redevelopment and Housing Authority (HRHA) have reached a proposed settlement valued at nearly $300,000 in a…

Download PDF version here STATEMENT: Tenant Protections in Proposed Budget Will Leave Too Many Virginians At Risk of Eviction During this national emergency, tenants in Virginia need a comprehensive eviction moratorium to protect themselves, their families, and the community. While the language in the proposed budget provides some protections for…

After years of advocacy by the Legal Aid Justice Center and numerous other dedicated community partners, community members, and youth, we celebrate a substantial victory on the road to ending school pushout in Richmond Public Schools. Monday’s unanimous vote by the City of Richmond School Board in support of a…

   CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST LAW FIRM WHO ILLEGALLY PROFITS FROM MASS EVICTIONS ACROSS VIRGINIA   The Legal Aid Justice Center (LAJC), along with the Legal Aid Society of Roanoke Valley and the Charlottesville law firm MichieHamlett, today filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of tenants throughout the state of…

Download PDF here   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, July 15, 2020 Critical Protections Passed Protecting Workers Against COVID-19 Emergency temporary standards mandate common-sense protections for Virginians in the workplace   Richmond, VA— Today, the Virginia Safety and Health Codes Board acted to protect the Commonwealth’s workers by adopting emergency temporary…

As of July 1st, the law allowing the suspension of a person’s driver’s license in Virginia due to unpaid court debt has permanently ended.  Watch a short video produced by LAJC and Nolef Turns on what you need to do to have your license reinstated and read and download our…

Ending Virginia’s Driver’s License Suspension Trap Six years ago, a Charlottesville jail superintendent brought a serious problem to the local reentry council: the jail was full of people locked up just for driving on a suspended license. What’s worse, they lost their licenses due to criminal/traffic court debt they just…

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