Veterans

At Jacksonville Area Legal Aid we understand that veterans and often active military personnel are underserved and neglected members of our society who are often reluctant to seek legal help. We’re here to help promote self-sufficiency, stability, and financial security through various comprehensive and accessible legal services. If you are a veteran (or active military) in need of legal help, please call us today or review our helpful links below.

The Florida Veterans Legal Helpline provides a convenient point of access for Florida veterans for legal issues relating to housing, family law and child support, driver’s license suspensions, disability and veterans’ benefits, expungement, and more.

The helpline is managed overall by Bay Area Legal Services in Tampa. Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Bay Area Legal Services, and the Pensacola office of Legal Services of North Florida will respond to referrals from the helpline, as well as handle civil legal issues on-site and in court.

Veterans can reach the Florida Veterans Legal Helpline at 1-866-486-6161

The Facts

• Studies conducted by the Veterans Administration demonstrate the high rate of legal issues for veterans: 5 of the top 10 unmet needs for male homeless veterans require civil legal assistance, and for female homeless veterans that figure is 4 of the top 10.
• Legal assistance needs rank higher than housing among the top unmet needs of homeless veterans, according to the US Interagency Council on Homelessness.
• Veterans are 8% of the general population, but between 25% and 30% of the homeless population.
• While there are Veterans experiencing homelessness in every state, nearly one-third reside in just two states, California (24.5%) and Florida
  (7.4%), according to Point-in-Time (PIT) estimates.
• The average cost of a single homeless person on society is $40,000 per year according to the Department. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
• The number of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness more than tripled in the last five years. (HUD)