JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — For most, the right to legal representation is as absolute as the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. However, for some, that opportunity can be an uphill battle.
“The Supreme Court years ago said if you’re going to take away someone’s liberty and send them to jail or prison, they’re entitled to counsel paid for by the state if they can’t afford it,” Fourth Circuit judge Steve Fahlgren explained Sunday. “We don’t really have that in the civil context.”
On Saturday and Sunday, the organization Freed to Run held multiple runs at the Duval County courthouse to raise money for those who are left fighting civil battles, without representation. Specifically, Freed to Run is looking to close the gap in legal services for elderly people in northeast Florida who are at risk of losing their homes.
“It helps indigent housing-insecure senior citizens in our community deal with consumer fraud, deal with reverse mortgage scams, and anything that could be affecting their golden years and their ability to stay in their house or to stay at suitable housing,” Freed to Run founder Mike Freed told Action News Jax.
So far, the organization has already raised roughly half a million dollars towards the cause in the last three years, looking to ensure that those seeking representation have a helping hand always, come their day in court.
“There’s a lot of people that go unrepresented or don’t even know they have a legal problem,” Freed highlighted.
“There are a lot of people who lose their housing because of circumstances they can’t control, oftentimes medical issues, oftentimes legal issues, and they’re not experts,” added Fahlgren. “To have someone come beside them is life-changing for them.”
The 2025 run has raised over $115,000 for seniors in legal need. Those who missed out but still would like to donate can do so by clicking the link here.
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