Foreign-born households are, on average, larger than native born households, have more children and are more likely to be multigenerational according to a recent report released by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The average size of foreign-born household in the U.S. is 3.4 people and the average same of a native-born household is 2.5 people according to new data. 62% of foreign-born household include children under the age of 18 compared with only 47% of native-born households. In addition, multigenerational households, definite as three or more generations living together, were two times more common than native-born households.
New Jersey resident Linda O. is among the native-born household category and found herself struggling to provide for her two children as a single mother in non-multigenerational home.
“I wanted to try and my head above water, I definitely wanted to pay off my bills. I knew I had that responsibility but doing it on my own there was no way to catch up,” explains Linda who was more than $7,500 in unsecured debt.
Linda engaged in a non-formal debt resolution program with an attorney supported by Costa Mesa-based Morgan Drexen. “I really appreciate the program because the actual lawyers working with me made things easier and I was more confident about relieving myself of debt,” says Linda.
Morgan Drexen provides software solutions to attorneys nationwide who are helping consumers struggling with high levels of unsecured debt. With the utilization of the platform Morgan Drexen Integrated Systems (MDIS), attorneys are able to save time and money and therefore pass those savings onto the consumer.
The highly automated and cloud computing-based software has empowered attorneys to reduce more than $354 million in consumer debt nationwide to day.
“It’s an excellent program and a great way to help people get back on their fee. If I had any concerns I would call the back office support professionals and they were so helpful and explained everything to me,” Linda adds.
While the Census Bureau data finds that the media household income for native-born households like Linda’s is $50,541 compared to $46,224 for foreign-born households, having extra adult support makes a huge difference economically and emotionally.
“I wasn’t married at the time, but I recently married again and being free from that debt and having someone else there to help support me and my children is a good feeling and great accomplishment,” Linda concludes.
Morgan Drexen actively participates in charitable endeavors throughout Southern California including assisting families in need through organizations like Families Forward and Operation Santa Claus.
The Criminal Justice System of England and Wales provides the mechanism for maintaining law and order. If an individual is accused of a criminal offence it is this system which will be utilised in an attempt to establish the truth. It is a cornerstone of the English legal system that suspects are entitled to a fair procedure and in order to ensure they have the best defence possible is will often be necessary for them to engage the services of a criminal lawyer at various stages during the process. However this can be expensive and far beyond the financial remit of many who require the service. To combat this and to ensure the suspected criminal can have a proper defence it may be possible for the accused to obtain Legal Aid which can provide the required services at no cost.
Criminal Legal Aid can provide a significant amount of legal services, for example: advice from a solicitor on criminal matters, free advice at the police station whilst being questioned, preparation of a case and representation in court. It is not an automatic right to receive Criminal Legal Aid although it is likely to be granted if required to help preserve a fair, balanced procedure. It would be highly unsatisfactory if accused were not afforded with this protection since the prosecution have such better resources.
Anyone can apply for Legal Aid by completing an ‘Application for Legal Aid in Criminal Proceedings’. Whether that application will be successful or not depends on a range of factors. The main considerations relate to the type of legal problem you have, your income and assets and whether there is a reasonable chance of winning your case. When applying try and take evidence of income if you can, typically those with incomes of over £21,000 will not be eligible except if they can show exceptional hardship. For those earning less than £21,000 but more than £12,475 a more complex means test is carried out to determine the individual’s disposable income in an attempt to decipher whether they are really reliant on Legal Aid.
As well as passing these considerations an applicant must also satisfy the interests of justice test which concerns whether you require the legal help in the interests of justice, things such as potential loss of liberty and livelihood will be taken into consideration.
Legal Aid is extremely valuable to the justice system of England and Wales and the role it plays in preserving civil liberties is significant since it provides those who may not be fortunate enough to afford it with the means of obtaining the legal advice they require. The old maxim that it is better for ten guilty men to walk free than for one innocent man to lose his freedom would be in jeopardy were it not for provisions such as Criminal Legal Aid.
Are you planning on heading off to law school in the near future?
If you answered yes, there are a few things you should know before you go. The following is a brief list of the typical law school requirements that you will encounter when you begin to apply.
First, do you have a degree from an accredited undergraduate institution in the United States? If yes, you are fine – but if you answered no, you have some homework to do. The best use of your time in this situation will be to contact the Law School Admissions council and enlist their assistance in officially recognizing your degree. They in effect will be telling the law schools that you apply to that your undergraduate degree is valid.
Second, have you taken the LSAT? or have you registered to take the exam soon? All American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law schools require you to take the LSAT exam. To register for the exam visit the website of Law School Admissions council. You’ll need to leave plenty of time between when you take the test and when your applications are do back to your prospective schools. Finally, not all law schools in the United States require the LSAT. Several law schools that are accredited by bodies other than the ABA require no LSAT. The most prominent of these schools are the Massachusetts School of Law and the Concord Law School in California.
Third, make sure you know your law school application deadlines. It is absolutely critical to your success that you apply to your top schools as soon as they begin to take applications for the term you are applying for. Admissions typically get more selective as the process drags on when more applicants are gunning for fewer remaining spots. You will be able to get the application deadlines from each school’s catalog or admissions department.
If you pay attention to these three factors you will be in great shape and well on your way to starting your career as a lawyer. Good luck!