We are honored to be featured in this edition of the Florida Bar Foundation newsletter Speaking of Justice for our staff attorney's incredible work in stopping a single mother and her two daughters from being evicted from their home during COVID after she lost her source of income in 2020.

To read the full story, click here.

Petrus Martens

Petrus moved to Orlando after graduating from Hope College in Michigan. He is currently in his second year at Barry University School of Law and looking to graduate in the Spring of 2023. He has an interest in business and personal injury law and hopes to run his own practice someday. Growing up and throughout college, Petrus enjoyed playing soccer and doing outdoor activities such as camping and hiking. He is excited to be volunteering this semester at Seminole County Legal Aid to gain more knowledge about the law and experience working with clients!

Adesola Orogade

Adesola is a recent graduate of the University of South Florida, majoring in Public Health with two minors in Psychology and Applied Behavior Analysis. She is passionate about law and advocacy and this motivated her to join the Seminole County Bar Association Law Aid Society (SCBALAS) team. She hopes to bring this passion to the legal field as a lawyer after she attends law school in the future. Adesola has previously served in Hillsborough County in the Guardian Ad Litem program during her college years. She is ready and excited to serve the community and residents of Seminole County as a SCBALAS Legal Intake Intern.

Brendan Fink

Brendan is currently studying Legal Studies and History at the University of Central Florida and is an active member of the Phi Delta Phi Legal Honor Society. Upon graduation in 2024, Brendan plans to remain in Florida and enter law school. In his spare time, he enjoys going to UCF football games, reading, and spending time with loved ones. During his time at Seminole County Legal Aid, Brendan hopes to gain practical experience in the legal field to facilitate his legal studies education.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is a free tax preparation service run by IRS-certified volunteers for families and individuals across the Greater Orlando area. VITA offers this free tax help to those who make less than $73,000, and the volunteers will provide free basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing. They will also provide other essential information, like special tax credits that will maximize tax refunds if the individual qualifies. Included below are VITA sites located in Seminole County. For more information about the program or other sites please click here.

Seminole County VITA locations:

Seminole State College Sanford/Lake Mary Campus

100 Weldon Blvd., Bldg J, Room 102, Sanford, FL 32773

Open starting 02/04/2023, offering both in-person and virtual appointments on Fridays at 6:00pm-9:00pm and Saturdays at 10:30am - 2:30pm. Walk-ins are welcome and Spanish translators will be present at this site.

The Sharing Center

600 N. Hwy 17-92, Suite 158, Longwood, FL 32750

Open starting o2/08/2023, offering in-person appointments on Wednesdays at 10:00am-3:00pm. You may schedule your appointment by calling (689) 208-2153 or emailing vitatax@thesharingcenter.org

As we enter into the new year, it's time to start thinking of the impact you could have on the Seminole County community. We ask you to please join us in our efforts to maintain the wonderful quality of life we enjoy in Seminole County by donating your time and talents to help a disenfranchised person(s) with their legal needs or by providing an in lieu of service monetary donation to help support our legal program. Below is a link to our 2023 Pro Bono Registration form for your consideration. Click here to let us know how you plan to impact the Seminole County community.

Our Housing Education project is back February 28th at 5:30pm via Zoom so please come to learn from our staff attorneys about eviction actions and best practices when renting. With increases in rent and changes to landlord tenant law, it is important now more than ever to understand your rights as a tenant. Attendees will have the opportunity to get answers to any questions you may have about your own housing issue.

To register, click here or by contacting Camryn Williams, Pro-Bono Coordinator at camrynw@scbalas.com

As a college student, there are already so many important things pressing on your mind like exam due dates, homework assignments, and juggling your personal responsibilities, the last thing you should have to worry about is an eviction or time-sharing issues. Our staff attorneys will be on campus every second and fourth Thursday of the month from 9:00am-12:00pm in order to help student address any legal concerns they have that may be affecting their ability to focus on graduation.

Upcoming Dates: Location: 100 Weldon Blvd., Sanford, FL 32771

February 9th Student Center Building

February 23rd Room: SC260

March 23rd

April 13th

April 27th

For more information email Camryn Williams at camrynw@scbalas.com

Our sealing and expungement workshop is back full in swing this year both virtually and in-person. Don't let that arrest on your record prevent you from getting the job of your dreams. In partnership with Goodwill Industries, our office holds a workshop to learn from our experienced volunteer attorneys how to seal or expunge your record. This workshop takes place every first Wednesday of the month in-person at the Sanford Library and virtually every third Wednesday of the month via Zoom.

You may qualify if you had:

• Adjudication withheld or charges dropped
• AND never previously sealed or expunged your record

To check the list of disqualifying crimes, click here.

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO.:23-01 SUPERSEDES 22-02 2ND AMENDED

IN RE: JUDGES - APPOINTMENT OF CIRCUIT JUDGES TO HANDLE COUNTY COURT CASES IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO.:23-02 SUPERSEDES 22-01 AMENDED

IN RE: JUDGES - APPOINTMENT OF COUNTY COURT JUDGES TO HANDLE CIRCUIT CASES IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO.:23-05 SUPERSEDES ORDERS LISTED IN THIS A.O.

IN RE: ADMINISTRATIVE ORDERS - RESCINDS ADMINISTRATIVE ORDERS

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO.:23-06 SUPERSEDES 22-19 AMENDED

IN RE: JUDGES - ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGES

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO.:23-08-S

IN RE: MAGISTRATE - APPOINTMENT OF DEPENDENCY AND TRUANCY GENERAL MAGISTRATE

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO:23-10 SUPERSEDES 21-24 2ND AMENDED

IN RE: CIVIL - CASE MANAGEMENT

Upcoming Events

February 1, 2023 - In-Person Sealing and Expungement

February 9, 2023 - Seminole State College Legal Advice Clinic

February 15, 2023 - Virtual Sealing and Expungement

February 16, 2023 - Veterans Free Legal Advice Clinic

February 23, 2023 - Seminole State College Legal Advice Clinic

February 28, 2023 - Housing Webinar