Welcome to Legal Aid of WV’s podcast, What’s the Law Say? Each episode, Legal Director Clint Adams and knowledgeable guests discuss legal topics that can quickly impact West Virginians’ lives and offers real solutions and guidance for those legal issues.
Episode 1: Divorce
Clint and Legal Aid of WV Attorney Lorraine Eckard discuss divorce law in West Virginia.
Episode 2: Child Custody
Clint and Legal Aid of WV Attorney Courtney Klus discuss child custody law in West Virginia.
Episode 3: Custody Modification
Clint and Legal Aid of WV Attorney Molly Russell discuss child support, child support modification, and custody modification in West Virginia.
Episode 4: Domestic Violence Protective Orders (DVPOs)
Clint and guest attorney, Dominque Razzook, discuss Domestic Violence Protective Orders (DVPOs) in West Virginia.
Episode 5: Special Education and SATs
Clint and Deana Cummings, FAST program advocate at Legal Aid of WV, discuss special education services and SAT Plans.
Episode 6: Special Education II – IEP and 504 Plans
Clint and Legal Aid of WV Attorney Patricia DiFranco discuss individualized education plans (IEPs) and 504 plans as tools for meeting special education needs for West Virginians.
Episode 7: Special Education III – Due Process
Clint and Legal Aid of WV Attorney Melissa Kahle talk about due process for special education. If your child has special education needs but first steps have been rejected, what steps do you take next?
Episode 8: Lawyer in the School
Clint and Richard Morris, Legal Aid attorney and supervisor of the Lawyer in the School project, discuss how the Lawyer in the School program began and how it serves West Virginians.
Episode 9: Housing Law
Clint and Legal Aid of WV Attorney Katie Marcum talk about housing law in West Virginia.
Episode 10: Successful Renters Program
Clint and Matt Jividen, attorney and advocacy manager at Legal Aid of WV, talk about the Successful Renters Program and answer questions like: what is it? How can it help West Virginians?
Episode 11: Foster Care
Clint and Legal Aid of WV Attorney Aimee Goddard discuss foster care in West Virginia.
Episode 12: Guardianship and Adoption
Clint and Legal Aid of WV Attorney Angie White talk about guardianship and adoption for West Virginians.
Episode 13: Guardian Ad Litem
Clint and Legal Aid of WV Attorney Leah Smith delve into the topic of Guardians ad Litem. What do they do? How do they get involved in West Virginia law?
Episode 14: Estates, Wills, and Power of Attorney (POA)
Clint and guest attorney, Bill Saviers, talk about estates, wills, and power of attorney (POA) in West Virginia.
Episode 15: Adult Guardianship, Conservatorship, and Power of Attorney (POA)
Clint and LAWV attorney Jacki Schwaben discuss adult guardianship, adult conservatorship, and powers of attorney.
Episode 16: Financial Exploitation
Clint and LAWV attorney James Lindsay talk about financial exploitation, one of the fastest growing forms of abuse, where elderly and protected groups’ money is taken, often by someone they know and trust.
Episode 17: Nursing Home Resident’s Rights
Clint and Regional Long-Term Care Ombudsman Ed Hopple explore the topic of Resident’s Rights for West Virginians living in long-term care facilities, like nursing homes. You can learn more about our Ombudsman work here.
Episode 18: Inpatient Psychiatric Care
Clint and LAWV Behavioral Health Advocate Rooney Reed talk about inpatient mental health in West Virginia, what to expect, and how LAWV staff advocates for this group.
Episode 19: Drivers Licenses
Clint and LAWV Attorney Marie Bechtel talk about the issues West Virginians struggle with related to drivers licenses.
Episode 20: Expungement
Clint and LAWV Attorney Marie Bechtel talk about expungement requirements and process in West Virginia (removing or sealing a record of a criminal offense).
Episode 21: SNAP
Clint and Cathy Townsend-Estep discuss Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, commonly referred to as Food Stamps. This episode includes how to apply for benefits, how to appeal benefits decisions, and changes coming in March 2023 relating to benefits for recipients of SNAP in WV.
Episode 22: Tax
Clint visits with Stephanie Coleman, program director of West Virginia University College of Law Taxpayer Clinic. They cover lots of tax issues including how to claim missing stimulus payments, how to correct errors and how to handle debt to the IRS. To apply for services from the clinic go to wvu.edu/clinical-law/clinics. If you need assistance with completing your 2022 consider a VITA volunteer at irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep or 800-906-9887
Legal Aid of WV is a nonprofit law firm. All information is up-to-date on the date published and may change at any time. This podcast is legal information and should not take the place of legal advice from an attorney.