News
IDignity of Seminole County Event
IDignity of Seminole County will be hosting an event to aid in obtaining Birth Certificates, Social Security cards, replacement immigration records and other documentation needed to obtain a Florida ID or license. They work to replace lost or stolen IDs free of charge. The event will be held Wednesday, February 5, 2020 from 9 am-…
Seminole County Bar Association Meeting Dates
Attorney Michael A. Sasso has been elected to be the president of the Seminole County Bar Association for the 2020 term. The bars website is www.seminolecountybar.com. The meetings of the Bar Association are as follows: Thursday, February 20, 2020 at 12 PM Thursday, March 19, 2020 at 12 PM Thursday, April 16, 2020 at 12…
Congratulations to Pro Bono Winners
The Honorable Lisa Davidson of the 18th Judicial Circuit has been awarded with the 2020 Award for Distinguished Judicial Service. She has been an active member of the community and founded the Domestic Violence Task Force in Brevard County along with chairing the 18th Circuit Pro Bono Committee. Attorney Andrew…
Changes to Notary Public Statutes
Starting January 1, 2020, Florida Notaries must use new certificate wording for acknowledgments and jurats that indicates if the signer appeared in person or by audiovisual communication for the notarization. The new certificate wording requirement is part of a new Florida law signed last June, which authorizes qualified and registered Notaries to perform remote online…
Avoid being Scammed during the Holidays
E-Skimming for the Holidays E-skimming happens when a hacker inserts malicious credential-stealing software into a retailer’s website. While you are checking out with your credit card or debit card, the hacker is stealing your payment information from the shopping cart in real-time. They may even be using your card or selling the information on the…
The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall
From November 8th to the 11th, the City of Sanford’s Fort Mellon Park will be displaying a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC. This replica is over 280 feet wide, 6 feet tall, and has over 58,000 names of our fallen American heroes. It will be open and free to the public…
Age Friendly Helmet Event for Mobility Week
This Saturday, October 26th, the Office of Health Promotion and Education is holding an event for Mobility Week to encourage safe mobility. At this age friendly event, attendant can will receive a free bicycle helmet and have a helmet fitted by a certified bike helmet technician. This event will be held from 9 AM- 12…
Housing Project
HOUSING PROJECT We were awarded a new grant to provide free legal advice to additional tenants having eviction/housing issues starting starting this October. We will be providing free legal services to low income persons living in Seminole County with housing issues such as eviction, maintenance, utility shut off and security deposit returns. Housing Project Flyer…
Hurricane Dorian
As Hurricane Dorian nears us, remember to register for text alerts from Seminole County Emergency Management for updates on the storm in Seminole County. Text “Dorian” to 888-777 for updates. We will be following the Seminole County courthouse schedule regarding closures, unless the legal aid office suffers damage or loss of electricity from the hurricane. …
Housing for Low-Income and Disabled Central Florida Residents
Written by Daniel Woodruff, University of Florida The Hacienda is a HUD funded apartment complex in Longwood, Florida. Recently, the complex has opened a waiting list for one-bedroom and two-bedroom applicants. It is set to stay open from August 5, 2019 to September 16, 2019, or until 15 candidates who meet admissions requirements complete applications….
New Florida Law for Domestic Violence Survivors: Unemployment Compensation
Unemployment Compensation for Domestic Violence Survivors Written by Daniel Woodruff, University of Florida Typically, under Florida statute 443.101(1)(a), a person is disqualified from receiving unemployment benefits when they voluntarily leave their job. However, there are exceptions to this rule – such as relocation due to a spouse’s military service. Florida Governor DeSantis signed House Bill…
Code Enforcement Department can sometimes assist in addressing serious Housing Maintenance Issues
Code Enforcement Written by Daniel Woodruff, University of Florida We assist with several legal matters; one of these matters is landlord-tenant issues. The most prolific complaint we receive from tenants is that their apartment or house is not kept up to code. These complaints range from electrical, plumbing, and structural issues. Each city in Seminole…
The SCBALAS Website is now Accessible
Equitable Opportunities in the Classroom, Office, and Online Written by Daniel Woodruff, University of Florida Treat the disease, not the symptoms. The past four years, Harvard has been in a legal battle over closed captioning in their videos. While this is an issue, the true crime is consistent discrimination against blind and deaf persons. Make…
Be Cautious of the Information your Child put on the Internet
Identity Theft, Social Media, and Children Written by Daniel Woodruff, University of Florida Safety isn’t as simple as it once was – in the age where technology dominates it is important to be informed and vigilant when online. Nine million Americans have their identity stolen each year, and most occur over the internet. As our…
Tools 4 Children in Need
Over 50% of Seminole County students are on the free or reduced lunch program, this means that over 33,000 students are unable to afford lunch at school. Of those 33,000 there are over 1,700 students identified as homeless. In order to give back to our Seminole County community, we will be collecting various school supplies…
New Action to Combat Robocalls by the Florida Communications Commission
FFC Approves Declaratory Ruling to Combat Robocalls Written by Daniel Woodruff, University of Florida Anybody who has ever owned a phone has received a robocall. As technology increases, and society has become more dependent on our phones, these unwanted calls have persisted. Analysts estimate that consumers received 2.4 billion calls per month in 2016 –…
Education and Prevention Symposium on Legal Aspects of Elder Abuse
Financial Abuse of Elders Written by Thomas Seall, University of Florida Levin College of Law At this year’s annual Education and Prevention Symposium on Legal aspects of elder abuse I had the pleasure of attending a presentation from Shannon Miller. Shannon Miller Is an attorney with the Miller elder law Firm located in Gainesville, Florida….
Welcome our Summer 2019 Interns!
This summer we have the privilege of hosting five interns in our office. This past week we put on a summer barbecue to welcome everyone to our office. Read below to learn more about our interns. Daniel Woodruff Mr. Woodruff is attending University of Florida in the Honors College. He just finished his second year as…
Beware Online Car Shopping
Shopping online is always risky, so shopping online for a car is certainly not advisable. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has warned against some of the scams that are perpetuated by online car sellers. Make sure that you are always careful about the person you are purchasing a vehicle from. If you…
Repair Shop Safety
The month of April is National Car Care Month. In honor of this month, The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has provided some important information for car owners. One thing that they emphasized was the importance of knowing where you are taking your car for maintenance or repairs. The Florida Motor Vehicle Repair…
Free Dental Care – March 22-23, 2019
FREE DENTAL CARE! FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED, March 22 – 23, 2019 When? Friday and Saturday, March 22 – 23 , 2019 – Doors open at 6 a.m. Edgewater High School – 3100 Edgewater Drive, Orlando, FL 32804 Patients are seen on a first-come, first-served basis Goal is to treat 2,000 patients in two days,…