Destiny wins protection from serial abuser
NJP Advocate Caroline Gillis represented Destiny*, a domestic violence survivor, through five different court cases. At one point, Caroline ensured that Destiny’s infant son was included in her Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO) after the court improperly excluded him.
Nicole Fights for Son’s Educational Rights
"For nearly all of us, the COVID-19 pandemic caused immeasurable disruption in our employment, education, and daily lives. For my son Owen, the turmoil in education continued long after the restrictions were lifted."
Melena regains rental housing assistance
"In 2018, I followed a career prospect from Olympia to Pullman. I loved Olympia but was willing to take a chance on a different life in Pullman. My former partner and I started by living in employer-provided chefs’ housing as we cared for our two children together."
Ronald: House built by hand saved from foreclosure
"About 50 years ago, my wife and I set down roots on Vashon Island. Both of us were willing and eager to work hard and earn equity by building a house. For $43k, the land for our future house was purchased and the work began."
Mark: Long COVID patient fights $20,000 unemployment repayment demand
"It’s fair to say that the COVID-19 pandemic affected us all differently. Personally, it took away my ability to work due to long-lingering symptoms of the illness. My job duties at Boeing were simply not doable for me as I struggled with severe and persistent vertigo. I applied for unemployment benefits and focused on my recovery."
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Maria: Wages garnished for decade-old medical debt
"I had just started a new job at the local credit union when a member of the HR department informed me that my wages would be getting garnished. She had limited information, just that it was for a medical bill and would be approximately one-third of every paycheck."
Joy: “My daughter was finally safe in my care”
"Since my childhood, a strong work ethic and appreciation for family was instilled in me. I grew up as a biracial adopted child helping my Mennonite family tend to thousands of chickens and hundreds of veal calves on sprawling farmland in Ohio."
Raheela: Domestic violence survivor flees abuse, secures long-term protection
"2005 marked a huge turning point in my life as I moved from Pakistan to the United States. With so many changes, I craved the stability of a family. Within a few years, I became a wife and then a mother. As our children grew older, my marriage became unhealthy and abusive. My husband’s abuse affected me and my four kids for several years, and I knew that the best option was to leave. The turning point was in 2020 when I found out that my husband was molesting our children."
Beatriz: Unjustly fired employee forces company to change sick leave policies
Honoring National Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month: “I moved here from Guerrero, Mexico, with my family when I was 19. I’m about to turn 50 and I’ve been working in packing all of this time. My most recent job was demanding. We did a range of tasks, from packing to quality control. We sorted apples, pears and other products, throwing away rotten fruit, repackaging the good ones.”
Anita triumphs over unjust debt (video)
"I would tell people to reach out for legal assistance as early as possible and that you don't have to fight debt collectors alone – particularly when they trample on people's rights."