A new clinic in Seminole County is helping veterans who need free legal advice. Several veterans took advantage of the legal assistance Thursday afternoon at the public library in Casselberry. 

  • Seminole County Bar Association Legal Aid Society provides free legal advice for vets
  • Session happens every second Thursday of the month at Casselberry library

During 20 years of military service, even during a tour in Afghanistan, Jonathan Steele managed to be there for the births of all four of his children.

“I was actually one of the few folks to see all four of those, so I consider myself very blessed,” said Steele.

But now retired from the military, Jonathan is battling a budget. So when a legal matter came up, he didn’t know what to do.

“There’s six of us,” said Steele. “We get by, but there’s not a lot of money to throw around like for legal aid.”

The Seminole County Bar Association Legal Aid Society was able to help veterans before with legal advice, but those veterans had to have specific qualifications, like for example make a certain amount of money.

But now, thanks to attorneys being willing to donate their time and the public library in Casselberry being willing to donate their meeting space, the society doesn’t have to turn any veterans away.

“We are able to reach veterans, and it’s not something where you have to be turned away, or have to go in a circle for legal assistance,” said Kayla Meyer, the pro bono coordinator for SCBALAS.

Steele was one of several veterans who stopped by the library in Casselberry to get free legal advice on Thursday.

He says when his family moved out of an apartment recently, they weren’t able to get several hundred dollars from a security deposit back.  Steele says that’s money the family could definitely use. He’s hoping an attorney at the clinic will be able to show him if it’s worth going after that money legally, without losing more money in the process.

“I’d like to get a professional opinion to say based on what I have or haven’t done and what they have or haven’t done, do I have a case here to go forward,” said Steele.

Veterans can get the legal advice at the public library in Casselberry.  It’s offered every second Thursday of the month from one to five in the afternoon.