Client Success Stories
Names have been changed to protect client identity
Ms. Wilson is the proud mother of a 3-year-old little girl. She went to DHEC to get her daughter's birth certificate to enroll her in pre-K, and learned that her daughter's name was not on the record. Attorney Brown was able to file her court case, present the daughter's newborn medical records establishing her name, and get the necessary court order to have the name put on the birth certificate. Now, Ms. Wilson will be able to enroll her daughter in school, and as the child grows up she will be able to get her driver's license, secure a job, get married, vote, and generally conduct her adult life without the issues that we so often see caused by a birth record error.
Two years ago, our client's landlord violated the CDC Moratorium on evictions and had a demolition company remove all of his belongings in an egregious violation of a court order. Our housing team was able to secure a judgment for $7,500, the statutory limits of magistrate court, for our client. This year, we were finally able to hand our client his check after having to file contempt motions against his landlord.
Tasha's mother passed away just before the pandemic, resulting in her being on her own as she graduated from high school. Tasha then put herself through Trident Technical College during the pandemic, while working to pay her rent, regardless of her health concerns. Despite her best efforts, she fell behind on her rent due to reduced work hours. As a result, an eviction was filed against her. Through coordination and cooperation with the Housing Authority, Attorney Tettemer helped our client secure additional time to have her rent in arrears covered by a local church. On the date her eviction case was dismissed, Tasha graduated from Trident Tech and received an acceptance to the University of South Carolina.
Attorney Ross worked with law enforcement to help Sarah, a human trafficking survivor, receive temporary immigration status and employment authorization, allowing her to work while her trafficking case is investigated, and additional immigration remedies are sought.
Mr. Johnson came to our office as a referral from Probate Court because he was struggling with the process of probating his mother's estate. Her primary estate assets were a piece of property in another county, and a mobile home on a rented lot where our client continued to live and pay the mortgage and lot rent. With the assistance of Attorney Brown guiding him through the process and drafting documents, Mr. Johnson was able to complete the Ancillary Probate process in the county where his mother's land was located, transfer the mobile home to his name, and get the estate closed out.
Attorney Ross helped two clients submit their green card applications after they were here on T-Visa holders as victims of labor trafficking. These clients were lured to the U.S. with promises of working in management in the local hospitality industry. The recruiter charged illegal and exorbitant fees, and upon arrival, they were placed in unsafe housing conditions and coerced with threats of deportation by their trafficker to work as housekeepers.
Attorney Brown helped a client who came to us needing a court order to have her child's father added to the birth certificate. Although the father was a fully involved parent and also wanted to be added to the birth certificate, circumstances prevented them from being able to accomplish this outside court. Without the father on the birth certificate and/or a court order of paternity, the father's health insurance carrier would not let him add the child as a dependent. The hospital was hounding mom and dad for payment on the delivery bills that would be covered by insurance, if they could only have the baby added to the policy. Through our advocacy, the new parents were able to get the needed court order, birth certificate amendment, and health insurance. The family is now able to enjoy being new parents without the added burden of medical bills.
Ms. O came to us for a simple will. Upon meeting with Ms. O, we learned that she had advanced stage cancer and very limited time left. Ms. O's main concern was for her children. We helped her preserve her estate for the children and to ensure that guardianship of the minor daughter was placed with her adult brother, instead of reverting to her estranged father. Ms. O passed away shortly after we prepared her will; we then helped her son with the custody case to grant him legal custody of his sister.
Ms. G is a single working mother with young children. She sought help from our office when her landlord demanded she cover the expenses of a habitability repair and attempted to have her evicted when she disputed the cost. As a recipient of housing choice voucher benefits, an eviction would jeopardize her subsidy and potentially render her family homeless. With direct representation service from our office, Ms. G was successful in litigating her claim against the landlord, receiving a judgment of money damages related to the pest issue and dismissal of landlord's action for eviction.
Mr. B, an elderly gentleman with a nominal fixed income, needed our assistance in getting his name changed. Although he went by his adoptive name his entire life, his official birth certificate was never changed. We helped collect all necessary legal forms from government entities and prepared his court pleadings. He was elated following his court hearing knowing that his life-long dream of officially changing his name to honor his adoptive family was complete.
Mr. K contacted Charleston Pro Bono concerned about losing his family's long-term residence to foreclosure. Thanks to the exceptional work and tireless advocacy, Mr. K was able to avoid foreclosure, make necessary home repairs, sell his property, and walk away with enough resources for his family to have a very happy holiday season.
Mr. R came to us worried about his children who lived with their mother. The children’s mother had neglected them, exposed them to horrible living conditions, and had denied Mr. R the opportunity to see them. With the help of a pro bono attorney, Mr. R was awarded custody of his children, enabling them to live in a safe and healthy environment.
Ms. C came to CPBLS when she had received threats of eviction from her property manager regarding her continued residence in a project-based housing unit. Ms. C had been the victim of domestic violence and the property management attempted to use the incidence of domestic violence as cause for her eviction along with no-cause grounds of continued tenancy being the initial lease term. On re-hearing, the Ms. C prevailed on all issues.
