At the request of a local judge, Michelle Broyles, Division Chief of JALA’s Family Law and Victim Advocacy Unit, began advocating on behalf of “Dre,” 5.
Dre’s mother struggles with substance abuse, which led to Dre being bounced around between his grandfather in Connecticut and different people in Jacksonville, some of whom were family and some friends.
Dre had been with his grandfather since March of 2019 and was old enough to attend kindergarten, but his grandfather did not have the temporary relative custody that would enable him to enroll Dre in school.
Dre’s grandfather had his grandson’s birth certificate, Social Security card and an affidavit from Dre’s mother, which had been enough to get him enrolled in daycare but not school.
Broyles made the proper filings and attended the custody trial for Dre’s grandfather, who got the temporary relative custody he needed to get Dre into kindergarten, as well as take him to medical appointments.
One of legal aid’s most important roles is to ensure that children like Dre get the help they need and deserve.
