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NVLSP News Articles
Siding with an Orrick pro bono team’s arguments on behalf of a Gulf War veteran, a federal appeals court today established vital precedent for veterans seeking benefits for disabilities arising from their military service when the disability consists solely of pain. In Saunders v. Wilkie, the Federal Circuit unanimously rejected certain limits on disability benefits imposed for nearly two decades by the Department of Veterans Affairs, providing critical support to veterans who can now recover just compensation for pain-related disabilities. An Orrick team led by Mel Bostwick and Eric Shumsky, partners in the firm’s Supreme Court and Appellate Practice, along with co-counsel at the National Veterans Legal Services Program, secured the win for Gulf War veteran Melba Saunders. [more]
Released 4/3/18 | Tags: Class Actions
The federal judiciary violated federal law when it used Pacer fees for courtroom technology and other projects that don’t provide the public with access to information stored in the courts’ electronic docketing system, a federal judge has ruled. [more]
Released 4/2/18 | Tags: Class Actions
Thirty years after federal courts began offering online access to litigation records through the PACER system, a federal judge ruled Saturday that fees paid by the public for such access cannot fund other courtroom technologies. The National Veterans Legal Services Program, National Consumer Law Center and Alliance for Justice brought the underlying challenge in Washington as a federal class action, accusing the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts of charging PACER users more than what was necessary to operate the system, in violation of the E-Government Act of 2002. [more]
Released 4/2/18 | Tags: Class Actions
The federal judiciary misused millions of dollars in fees derived from an electronic public web portal for court documents to fund certain programs that federal law did not allow, a Washington judge rule. U.S. District Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle said the United States is liable for certain improper expenses that violated the E-Government Act of 2002. The ruling came in a class action that alleged the judiciary’s administrative office set fees too high for the online portal Public Access to Court Electronic Records, commonly known as PACER. The suit, filed by the National Veterans Legal Services Program, the National Consumer Law Center and Alliance for Justice, seeks monetary relief for allegedly excessive fees charged between 2010 and 2016. [more]
Released 3/31/18 | Tags: Class Actions
Since its beginning, Vietnam Veterans of America has been at the forefront of seeking answers about the effects of Agent Orange on veterans and their families and getting justice through treatment and compensation for illnesses caused by the military’s use of this defoliant. The very first witness at the first congressional hearing on Agent Orange in 1979 was then VVA Vice President John Terzano. [more]
Released 3/31/18 | Tags: Agent Orange
A federal district court heard arguments recently on whether the federal courts are inappropriately overcharging for public access to court documents to fund certain projects. NVLSP is a plaintiff in the case. Subscription may be required to view the article. [more]
Released 3/23/18 | Tags: Class Actions
Learn about free legal services for senior veterans from 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 25, at the Washington County Commission on Aging, 535 E. Franklin St., Hagerstown. The program is being presented by Lawyers Serving Warriors, an NVLSP progam. [more]
Released 3/13/18 | Tags: Veteran's Benefits
This article includes photos from an awards ceremony. HP's Cynthia Bright volunteers with NVLSP and is pictured. [more]
Released 3/2/18 | Tags: Supporters
HP's Cynthia Bright volunteers with NVLSP. [more]
Released 3/1/18 | Tags: Supporters
The Department of Defense (DoD) will begin the process of refunding thousands of veterans who were taxed on disability severance pay since 1991 thanks to legislative efforts by U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Mark Warner (D-VA). [more]
Released 2/22/18 | Tags: Congressional Legislation