The Superior Court Judges of the Western Circuit, in partnership with the University of Georgia School of Law and the Western Circuit Bar Association, announce the first fall pop-up clinic for 2020 in the Access to Justice Initiative. The mission of the Access to Justice Initiative is to provide access to legal services and information for individuals in need of legal assistance who live in the community.

The January Access to Justice Pop-Up Clinic will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 18 at the First AME Church at 521 North Hull Street, Athens, GA 30601. Judges from various courts, staff from the Probate Court and Georgia Legal Services, and faculty and students from the UGA School of Law will also be in attendance. Attendees are encouraged to bring any relevant important papers with them. 

Attorneys provide brief individual consultations on topics including family law such as divorce and child support, adoption law, immigration law, expungement/record restriction, probate law, disability law, employment law, criminal law, small claims, landlord/tenant law, personal injury, and general civil law at the pop-up clinics. A list of legal service/attorney resources will be provided for individuals who may wish to seek further assistance beyond the pop-up clinic. Spanish translation services are also expected to be available.

Lawyers, legal educators, and staff attorneys from the local courts have committed to volunteering their time for the Access to Justice Initiative. The initiative is an opportunity to help those in need in the community and help provide access to competent legal representation. Since the program started in December 2017, attorneys have donated over $50,000 of their time and talents at these free legal clinics. In 2019, approximately 500 people visited the pop-up clinics.