AppalReD Legal Aid Hosts Family Law Clinics with Generous Support from Kentucky Bar Foundation

Prestonsburg, KY - AppalReD Legal Aid recently received a $15,000 grant from the Kentucky Bar Foundation for their project "AppalReD Pro Se Capacity Building."

Thanks to this generous support, AppalReD Legal Aid will host 24 pro se family law clinics over the next year—both in-person and virtually—across its eastern and south-central Kentucky service area.

These clinics help individuals who are representing themselves in simple family law matters like uncontested divorce or custody. AppalReD attorneys and pro bono attorneys guide participants through drafting and filing the necessary documents, helping them move their cases through the court system with confidence.

2025 Upcoming Clinic Schedule:

• August 14: Estill County Public Library.
• August 19: Virtual.
• August 21: McCreary County Public Library.
• September 16: Virtual.
• September 18: Breathitt County Public Library.
• September 20: Garrard County Public Library.

Dates for additional clinics will be announced soon.

Charnel Burton, Pro Bono Director, says, "Going to court alone can be intimidating and confusing. These clinics empower community members by providing the tools, knowledge, and support needed to navigate the legal process. Community members walk out feeling less stressed and more confident."

AppalReD Legal Aid's Pro Bono Program has also launched a new eviction prevention clinic. It is virtual and is offered every other week on Wednesday.This clinic is for tenants who have received a Notice to Vacate from their landlord and who are still within the notice period. At the session, tenants will be paired with an attorney to go over their documents and help them develop a strategy to try to resolve the issue without an eviction ever being filed. 

"An eviction on someone’s record can make it nearly impossible to find safe, stable housing. For low-income people avoiding an eviction filing in the first place is critical to breaking the cycle of housing instability,” says Angeleigh Dorsey, Executive Director.

If you are interested in attending a clinic, please call AppalReD Legal Aid's Central Intake at 1-866-277-5733 or apply for help online ardfky.org/gethelp.

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The Kentucky Bar Foundation's mission is to further the public's understanding of the judicial system and the legal profession through programs and philanthropic partnerships that help those in need. The KBF has awarded nearly $5 million in grants since 1988.

AppalReD Legal Aid provides free civil legal services to low-income and vulnerable individuals across eastern and south-central Kentucky. AppalReD focus on legal problems that affect clients' basic needs for food, shelter, income, personal safety from all forms of abuse, and stability and safety for children and the elderly.