Summer 2002

pine conePine Tree Case Summariespine cone

Table of Contents

Discrimination
Housing
Family Law

The following are summaries of some of the cases Pine Tree Native American Unit attorneys have handled over the last six months. You can call attorneys Judith Plano or Mike Guare or paralegal Danny Mills at 1-800-879-7463.

Discrimination:

Pine Tree Legal Assistance is currently representing several Native American clients in discrimination cases before the Maine Human Rights Commission. One client is claiming employment discrimination by a large blueberry grower. Another is claiming discrimination by the Maine State Police. Two other clients were denied service by a store in Washington County.

The law prohibits discrimination against you because you are Native American. If you have been discriminated against in employment, housing, credit, public accommodation, education, or in any other area, please feel free to contact our office.

Housing:

The client, a Native American, lived in a city and was renting an apartment from a private landlord. The landlord evicted the client and claimed that the client owed him money for damages to the apartment. The landlord kept many of the client's possessions, including some dentures, and refused to return them until the client paid what he said was owed him. Pine Tree attorney Mike Guare filed a case in court against the landlord. The landlord was required to return the client's possessions to him. The client did not have to pay anything to the landlord to get his belongings back.

In another case, Pine Tree is currently representing a tribal member in court. The tribal housing authority is trying to evict him, and PTLA is trying to stop the eviction. If you are having a problem with your landlord, please call us!

Family Law:

The client came to Pine Tree with a family law problem. She was a Native American with a child support order against a man who had moved to another state. We helped her in getting the government in the other state to enforce the child support order.

We also gave advice to another client whose former husband was refusing to return her child to her after a visitation. With Pine Tree's advice, the client was able to work the situation out and get her son back without going to court.

In another case, We represented a client in court in a complicated case involving child custody, child support and visitation. With Pine Tree's assistance, the client was granted a favorable court order. If you have a family law problem, please call us!