Dennis Harrison, Author at Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc.

Jacalyn Crecelius joins JALA as leader of its Veterans Legal Services Unit

Jacalyn Crecelius joins JALA as leader of its Veterans Legal Services Unit

Attorney Jacalyn Crecelius has joined Jacksonville Area Legal Aid as leader of its Veterans Legal Services Unit, which launched in 2019 in connection with a statewide Florida Veterans Legal Helpline funded through the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs. “I'm thankful for the opportunity to serve as the Veterans attorney with JALA,” Crecelius said. “My goal is to further develop the unit into one that veterans and those advocating for them know they can trust for honest, strong, and compassionate support.” Prior to working at JALA, Crecelius worked as an attorney in the areas of family law, security clearance defense, and insurance/healthcare law. She has practiced locally with Florida Women’s Law Group and The Edmunds Law Firm.

Dennis Harrison2024-01-04T11:49:36-05:00January 23rd, 2023|News, Veterans Services|

JALA helps Clay homeowner get a mortgage modification, help with HOA debt

JALA helps Clay homeowner get a mortgage modification, help with HOA debt

“Raymond,” who has a disability, was working a part-time job in addition to his full-time job in order to pay off the $6,000 he owed his homeowner’s association, which had initiated a foreclosure for the past due assessments. He was also behind on his mortgage. He and his two adult children, ages 18 and 20, share the family home, and he was in risk of losing it.

Dennis Harrison2024-01-04T11:51:15-05:00January 7th, 2023|Client Stories, Fair Housing|

JALA housing counselor helps single mother save her home after COVID-19 forbearance ends

JALA housing counselor helps single mother save her home after COVID-19 forbearance ends

“Marcia,” a single mother whose adult son has a disability, was delinquent on her mortgage after a COVID-19 hardship. She had entered into a COVID-19 forbearance, and once it ended, her loan servicer told her she had to pay almost $8,000 in one lump sum.

Dennis Harrison2024-01-04T11:51:53-05:00January 7th, 2023|Client Stories, Fair Housing|

JALA housing counseling enables senior couple to remain in their home

JALA housing counseling enables senior couple to remain in their home

“Margie and Frank Wilson,” a Clay County couple in their late 70s, came to JALA for help after becoming delinquent on their mortgage following a forbearance period. Social Security was their only source of income, and they had been struggling to make ends meet for several years. JALA offers housing counseling through a grant from Clay SHIP, or the State Housing Initiative Program, which provides local governments with funds to create housing programs to assist income-eligible residents.

Dennis Harrison2024-01-04T11:52:38-05:00January 7th, 2023|Client Stories, Fair Housing|

Joseph Clay Davis Meux

Joseph Clay Davis Meux

Joseph “Joe” Clay Davis Meux died on November 21st, 2022 at the age of 94. He was born in Memphis, TN on October 10th, 1928 to William Leigh Meux and Doris Davis Meux. He is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Elizabeth Freitag Meux; children, Joseph “Clay” Davis Meux Jr (Elizabeth) and John Edward Meux; grandchildren, Olivia and Davis; brother-in-law, John William “Bill” Freitag (Donna); nieces, Bette “Lou” Meux Solomon (William), Doris Ann “Dee” Meux, Christina Freitag Martin (Patrick); and great niece, Ella Greer Martin.

Dennis Harrison2022-11-29T10:33:50-05:00November 29th, 2022|News, Pro Bono|

Freed to Run is set to begin November 14

Freed to Run is set to begin November 14

Freed to Run is set to begin Nov. 14 in Tallahassee and finish in Jacksonville Nov. 19, when it is expected to have reached its goal to endow Jacksonville Area Legal Aid’s Northeast Florida Medical Legal Partnership (NFMLP) in perpetuity with $2.25 million raised over six years. The six marathons in the six-day series will each begin at a courthouse along the route, with relay teams running along with event founder and Gunster Shareholder Mike Freed. The final marathon will be Freed’s 36th in six years to support the partnership between JALA and area health-care institutions that provides civil legal aid to children who are chronically or critically ill. Each team is collecting donations that will enable JALA to permanently support civil legal aid to Northeast Florida pediatric patients and their families through the NFMLP. All funds raised are matched at 125 percent by Baptist Health up to $1.25 million.

Dennis Harrison2022-11-22T10:10:32-05:00November 12th, 2022|Children's Health, Endowment, Freed To Run|

Freed to Run marathon series expected to reach its $2.25 million goal Nov. 14-19 with a little help from Olympian Garrett Scantling

Freed to Run marathon series expected to reach its $2.25 million goal Nov. 14-19 with a little help from Olympian Garrett Scantling

Olympian Garrett Scantling Proceeds will fully fund an endowment for Jacksonville Area Legal Aid’sNortheast Florida Medical Legal Partnership JACKSONVILLE, Fla.

Dennis Harrison2022-11-10T12:46:50-05:00November 10th, 2022|Children's Health, Endowment, Freed To Run|

JALA saves family’s home by helping them access SHIP funds

JALA saves family’s home by helping them access SHIP funds

“Ariana” came to JALA after her mortgage company wanted her to pay the whole sum that was due from the period when her family had received pandemic-related mortgage forbearance. Her whole family had not only had COVID-19, but the head of the household had lost employment due to the initial shutdown. The family had resumed their mortgage payments, but when asked to pay the whole sum due, they could not afford it.

Dennis Harrison2022-10-07T13:13:12-04:00October 7th, 2022|Client Stories, Fair Housing|

From the President: Looking back at 125 years of the Jacksonville Bar Association

From the President: Looking back at 125 years of the Jacksonville Bar Association

Our Jacksonville Bar Association started with 33 members in the charter year of 1897 to encourage collegiality and maintain the honor and dignity in the practice of law, aid in the administration of justice and foster professionalism and ethics in the legal profession. The JBA was formally incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in July 1952. Today, we have a diverse membership of nearly 2,000 members. Since its inception, the JBA has been a cornerstone of the Jacksonville community. That is, in large part, because of its distinct group of members, who have a wide array of interests and passions. For decades, JBA members have been, and continue to be, involved in volunteer, civic and community organizations. You would be hard-pressed to attend a meeting of another Jacksonville organization and not find a member of the JBA involved in that group.

Dennis Harrison2022-10-07T10:57:36-04:00October 7th, 2022|News, Partners in Justice Spotlight|

Service to others is part of our oath

Service to others is part of our oath

Most practicing attorneys are aware of the moral and ethical duties we have, as members of The Florida Bar, to “never reject, from any consideration personal to myself, the cause of the defenseless or oppressed,” included in the Oath of Admission. It is no coincidence that this language is specifically placed at the end of our oath. It is that important. Many, myself included, sometimes neglect this part of our oath. That said, I commend anyone that donated their time and energy assisting those in need. We can do better. We as a community must, because pro bono matters. On Sept. 1, I left behind my private practice at Integrity Law P.A., to join Jacksonville Area Legal Aid as its new director of pro bono.

Dennis Harrison2022-10-07T10:45:31-04:00October 7th, 2022|News, Pro Bono|

Dennis.Harrison@jaxlegalaid.org

About Dennis Harrison