Government Benefits

Budget proposal for ‘orderly closeout’ of Legal Services Corp. is ‘devastation,’ says legal aid leader

The Legal Services Corp. has requested $2.1 billion in funding for fiscal year 2026, a far cry from the administration’s $21 million request to enable an “orderly closeout” of the program, according to a Bloomberg Law story.

Jun 9, 2025 2:09 PM CDT

Biden makes another pitch for student loan relief, but challenges loom

President Biden on Monday laid out plans to forgive some or all student loans for more than 30 million Americans, trying to expand on his administration’s work to reduce debt burdens but offering a narrower path for forgiveness than a plan struck down by the Supreme Court last year.

Apr 9, 2024 9:15 AM CDT

UChicago Medicine partners with legal aid lawyers to offer legal help to victims of violence

The University of Chicago Medicine is working with Legal Aid Chicago to embed lawyers at the system’s trauma center in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood to help victims of violence.

Dec 13, 2022 2:35 PM CST

Florida lawyer lied to hundreds of disabled trust clients, SEC says

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is accusing a Florida attorney of defrauding at least 380 clients, most of whom have disabilities and are recipients of Medicaid or Social Security Supplemental Security Income benefits.

May 4, 2022 9:27 AM CDT

Denying disability benefits to Puerto Rico residents violates equal protection rights, ABA amicus brief says

The ABA filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday arguing that denying disability benefits to residents of Puerto Rico violates the equal protection clause.

Sep 8, 2021 12:40 PM CDT

US can’t consider race or sex in distributing pandemic funds to restaurants, 6th Circuit says

The U.S. Small Business Administration gave an unconstitutional preference to minority- and women-owned restaurants in allocating COVID-19 relief funds, a federal appeals court ruled last week.

Jun 1, 2021 12:30 PM CDT

Pandemic worsens already-growing debt problem with many legal remedies on hold

While many Americans remain jobless, some companies have increased their collection efforts on old debt as they grapple with less revenue amid the sluggish economy. But with government offices and courts closed, it’s hard for attorneys to move cases along.

Mar 2, 2021 12:52 PM CST

Afternoon Briefs: Judges tosses transgender woman’s pageant bias suit; SCOTUS allows indoor church services

Judge tosses suit against pageant company by transgender woman U.S. District Judge Michael Mosman of Oregon has tossed a lawsuit by a transgender woman who accused a beauty pageant of discriminating against her by banning her from the competition. Anita Noelle Green had sought to compete in the Miss United…

Mar 1, 2021 4:50 PM CST

Barrett appears confident in her first oral arguments in the Supreme Court

Justice Amy Coney Barrett took part in her first oral arguments in the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday in cases involving the Freedom of Information Act and the federal railroad retirement laws.

Nov 3, 2020 9:27 AM CST

Afternoon Briefs: RBG says she’s cancer-free; ‘Eat a bowl of dicks’ lawyer had acknowledged stress

Justice Ginsburg says she is cancer-free U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has told CNN that she is cancer-free after being treated for a malignant tumor on her pancreas. Ginsburg, long a civil procedure aficionado, has resumed an active schedule and displays renewed vigor. In oral arguments, she has…

Jan 9, 2020 4:10 PM CST

ABA advocacy builds momentum for bipartisan legislation aiding homeless veterans

Recent legislative developments in the nation’s campaign to end veteran homelessness is attributable in part to the persistent efforts of ABA members working in conjunction with the ABA’s Governmental Affairs Office.

Sep 1, 2019 12:30 AM CDT

House of Delegates focuses on seniors’ needs in pair of resolutions

The health and well-being of senior adults were addressed in a pair of resolutions approved by the ABA House of Delegates on Monday.

Aug 12, 2019 8:13 PM CDT

Homeless veterans bill would ensure legal services are available ‘when they are needed most,’ ABA says

ABA President Bob Carlson urged the Senate’s Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on Tuesday to support bipartisan legislation that would implement new strategies for removing barriers that prevent homeless veterans from receiving vital benefits, services and treatment. In a letter sent to committee Chair Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Ranking Member Jon…

May 23, 2019 11:50 AM CDT

16% of Americans think Clarence Thomas is chief justice, ABA civics survey finds

In a new survey, the ABA highlighted gaps in Americans’ knowledge of history and government as part of the ABA Survey of Civic Literacy 2019, the first comprehensive survey of its kind by the association. The results of the nationwide poll of 1,000 people were released Wednesday to mark Law Day, a national event established by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1958 to recognize the country’s commitment to the rule of law.

May 1, 2019 6:00 AM CDT