News & Stories
Justice starts with one person. Read the stories and voices of NJP’s clients along with updates to our legal advocacy challenging unjust practices.
Free Legal Services for Washington
Justice starts with one person. Read the stories and voices of NJP’s clients along with updates to our legal advocacy challenging unjust practices.
During the COVID-19 public health emergency, Washington's Health Care Authority (HCA) and the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) extended coverage for all people on Medicaid (Apple Health). This extension, a lifeline for many, ended March 31, 2023, and renewals and eligibility reviews resumed.
Washington State has seen significant legal changes that benefit many NJP clients as they combat housing injustice. On July 23rd, two new bills go into effect. They provide access to virtual hearings in eviction cases and modify post-tenancy damage deposit disputes in Washington.
In a huge victory for Native American children, families and tribes, on June 15, 2023, the United States Supreme Court upheld the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) in its Brackeen v. Haaland decision.
"Five farmworkers have settled a lawsuit that alleged a Wapato fruit packing company interfered with worker organization efforts and wrongfully fired employees."
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"When my husband and I moved into a new condo in 2020, we had no idea what challenges we would soon face. We were familiar with the Everett area, had raised kids there, and loved to take drives around the county. We were settling into our new home when a breast cancer diagnosis flipped our world upside down. Already amid a global pandemic, it was hard to imagine facing any more challenges."
The last thing a person seeking a court-issued Protection Order (PO) wants to deal with is a morass of confusing paperwork. Yet, before July of this year, that is exactly what they would get. The Washington State legal system had five distinct kinds of protection orders depending on the type of harm and relationship to the abuser. There were different orders for domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault, stalking, and vulnerable adults being abused or neglected.
"I was born and raised in Puyallup. I have my own kids. I’ve been disabled since I was really young. I’ve contacted CLEAR several times, this last time because I was homeless."
Landlords don’t always follow the rules. In February 2021, Danny, a participant in a federal rental assistance program for veterans, blew the whistle on his landlord who was overcharging him on the rent and fraudulently obtaining federal funds.