Assisting Veterans with Legal Needs
Our Statewide Mission
The California Veterans Legal Task Force is a non-profit corporation established under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)3 with a mission to assist California counties in establishing and sustaining veteran's treatment courts and to conduct legal assistance clinics. These courts operate to encourage and provide treatment for veterans with diagnosed psychological conditions stemming from their military service. Veterans treatment courts operate in California under Penal Code Section 1170.9, which provides state courts the power to defer jail sentences for qualifying veterans convicted of a crime and to restore their civil rights upon successful completion of their program, providing certain condition are found by the judge.
Our San Diego County Mission
The Veterans Legal Assistance and Referral Clinic (VLARC) is a cooperative partnership with the California Veterans Legal Task Force, the Department of Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, and local law students and paralegals. We form a collaborative team consisting of VA social workers and treatment providers, attorneys and legal professionals, and peer support ("Battle Buddies") to assist veterans receiving mental health treatment from the VA in successful aftercare programs. The activities include providing legal assistance and referrals to veterans who are receiving case management services through the Veterans Justice Outreach Program (VJOP) and the Vista Detention Facility's Veterans Moving Forward Module. We address unmet legal needs within our scope of practice and provide local law students with practice-orientated legal education opportunities. In providing these services, veterans will be able to focus on treatment and aftercare without the added stress of legal issues. In addition, students will gain valuable experience in providing legal assessments, experience with mental health issues, and knowledge about veterans' legal needs.
We are privileged to work with many volunteers including attorneys, paralegals, and Battle Buddies who all serve under the California Veterans Legal Task Force umbrella.
Veterans Legal Assistance & Referral Clinic
(VLARC) for Legal Matters
Criteria for free services: Must earned $28,500 or less per year AND be in mental health treatment
San Diego County Residents Only
01. Veteran
If a veteran contacts us asking for help with his criminal case, we first establish whether they are represented.
02. Representation
We ask the veteran to have their attorney contact us if they need assistance with their case regarding veterans.
03. Attorney
Our attorney, Jude Litzenberger, will advise attorney on veteran law, mental health treatments, who to contact for records.
04. Contact
Our attorneys and paralegals remain available for assistance of your veteran client's criminal defense case.
We use cookies to enable essential functionality on our website, and analyze website traffic. By clicking Accept you consent to our use of cookies. Read about how we use cookies.
Your Cookie Settings
We use cookies to enable essential functionality on our website, and analyze website traffic. Read about how we use cookies.
Cookie Categories
Essential
These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our websites. You cannot refuse these cookies without impacting how our websites function. You can block or delete them by changing your browser settings, as described under the heading "Managing cookies" in the Privacy and Cookies Policy.
Analytics
These cookies collect information that is used in aggregate form to help us understand how our websites are being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are.