Kelly Blue with Legal Aid of Wyoming spoke with SVI Media’s Dan Dockstader about the services the organization provides in Lincoln County and across the state.

(0:00) SBI and Kemmerer today with Kelly Blue. (0:03) She’s an attorney here in the Kemmerer area, (0:04) but she’s also board president for Legal Aid of Wyoming. (0:08) And Kelly, thank you for joining us.

(0:10) Thank you for having me. (0:11) Kelly, tell us what Legal Aid of Wyoming is. (0:14) So Legal Aid of Wyoming provides (0:17) services, civil services to low income.

(0:20) So legal services to low income people who are eligible. (0:25) It does not do public defender or defense work in criminal cases. (0:30) It’s only civil cases.

(0:31) But that would be problems with rent or eviction, (0:37) housing issues, (0:39) debt issues or credit card or even bankruptcy. (0:44) And then they also do a lot of family law things (0:47) such as divorce or custody (0:51) establishment modification, things like that. (0:54) This is an opportunity to provide legal assistance for someone who may (0:58) may not financially be able to hire an attorney.

(1:01) This is a door that opens up an opportunity (1:04) to give someone the help they need. (1:07) Yes, exactly. (1:09) It’s based on, I believe, and I don’t want to say things (1:12) that I don’t know for sure, but it’s based on your income.

(1:15) And usually that is tied to the poverty level (1:19) as established by Health and Human Services. (1:22) For families or people or individuals living in Kemmerer, Star Valley, (1:26) Western Wyoming, how do they access the legal aid program of Wyoming? (1:32) So you can look it up online. (1:34) Legal Aid of Wyoming.

(1:35) And there is an online portal so you can do an online application (1:40) through that portal. (1:41) You can also just look up the phone number and call. (1:46) And we have offices across the state.

(1:49) The main office is in Cheyenne. (1:51) Recently, we had an office open in Afton. (1:54) That attorney has departed.

(1:56) So we’re seeking a new attorney for Western Wyoming. (1:59) There is an attorney in a Pinedale office as well. (2:02) So we do have some resources.

(2:05) The number to call is 877-432-9955. (2:14) And that gets you connected. (2:17) You do have to call more than once sometimes to get through (2:20) or leave a message or you wait on hold because they do have just the one line.

(2:26) Usually there is one attorney working. (2:29) You can ask short questions and get an answer about where to go or what to do. (2:34) And then you also have the opportunity to do an intake (2:38) if you are seeking to get representation.

(2:41) Before we close out, what might be an example of someone who could use help, (2:46) legal help to access this program? (2:48) Just just an example. (2:49) An example. (2:52) Someone who has maybe supplemental social security insurance (2:58) and a part time job would be income eligible.

(3:03) They would they because their income is low enough (3:06) that they’re not meeting that that threshold. (3:09) And they might need to file bankruptcy (3:13) to protect the few assets they have, or they might need to file for divorce (3:19) or modify a custody arrangement that they have. (3:23) We do veteran services as well.

(3:26) And almost every veteran would be eligible for services (3:30) because it is a grant that comes through the federal government to assist veterans. (3:36) So anyone who is a veteran would be eligible for services. (3:41) That includes writing a will, (3:45) a health care directive, all of the basic things that are civil.

(3:52) Guardianship is another example of things that we would help with. (3:56) And recently I was able to connect a Kemmerer resident with legal aid (4:01) so that he could establish a guardianship for a family member. (4:05) And legal aid helped with that.

(4:07) Prime example, then. Thank you very much. (4:09) Kelly Blue, she is the board president for Legal Aid of Wyoming.

(4:13) Dan Dockstader, SBI Media in Kemmerer.