The Coalition does not provide legal advice or counsel. However, the following organizations and programs are equipped to assist you in whatever legal matters you face.
Criminal
Anchorage Veterans Court
Anchorage Veterans Court
What is the Anchorage Veterans Court?
The Anchorage Veterans Court is a specialized court designed to facilitate the rehabilitation of eligible veterans who are charged with criminal offenses. The Court provides judicial monitoring coupled with alternative sentencing plea agreements to help eligible veterans succeed with their own rehabilitation and return to a productive and law-abiding lifestyle; thereby reducing crime and its costs to society.
What are the objectives of the Anchorage Veterans Court?
Who is Eligible?
How does AVC work?
The Veteran “opts in” to the Anchorage Veterans Court by entering into a pleas agreement. The Veteran must agree to plead guilty to at least one charge, and agree to receive one of two sentences: a regular court sentence if the participant does not complete his or her VA case plan, or a lesser sentence if the participant completes his or her case plan. The program involves a team of designated and specially trained professionals who meet regularly and consistently participate in AVC proceedings.
Admission to the Anchorage Veterans Court is not automatic. The prosecutor’s office, the VA, and the Veterans Court judge must all agree that you and your criminal case qualify.
How do I enter Anchorage Veterans Court?
Veterans who want to be considered for AVC should ask their defense attorney however, the Coalition can provide a direct referral to the Veterans Court (see below).
The Anchorage Veterans Court is a specialized court designed to facilitate the rehabilitation of eligible veterans who are charged with criminal offenses. The Court provides judicial monitoring coupled with alternative sentencing plea agreements to help eligible veterans succeed with their own rehabilitation and return to a productive and law-abiding lifestyle; thereby reducing crime and its costs to society.
What are the objectives of the Anchorage Veterans Court?
- Promote public safety.
- Reduce incarceration of offenders who are veterans and promote their wellbeing in the community.
- Reduce repeated contacts with the criminal justice system among our nation’s veterans.
- Facilitate access to VA resources to aid the veteran with addressing problems that led to criminal justice contact.
- Promote treatment adherence for the veteran through ongoing judicial monitoring.
Who is Eligible?
- The veteran must be at least 18 years old.
- The veteran must reside in the Municipality of Anchorage.
- The veteran must be eligible for VA services, as defined by federal law and confirmed by the Veterans Administration.
- The veteran must be charged with a criminal offense. A veteran charged with a felony offense will be considered on a case by case basis to ensure public safety. Considerations will include the seriousness and the class of the current offense, and offender’s criminal history.
- The veteran must voluntarily agree to waive his or her right to a speedy trial while he or she participates in Anchorage Veterans Court.
- The veteran must have no other pending cases in District or Superior Court. All open cases must be heard at Anchorage Veterans Court hearings.
- The veteran must have a treatment need (related to the criminal conduct charged) that the VA can address through one of its programs in order to participate in the Veterans Court program.
How does AVC work?
The Veteran “opts in” to the Anchorage Veterans Court by entering into a pleas agreement. The Veteran must agree to plead guilty to at least one charge, and agree to receive one of two sentences: a regular court sentence if the participant does not complete his or her VA case plan, or a lesser sentence if the participant completes his or her case plan. The program involves a team of designated and specially trained professionals who meet regularly and consistently participate in AVC proceedings.
Admission to the Anchorage Veterans Court is not automatic. The prosecutor’s office, the VA, and the Veterans Court judge must all agree that you and your criminal case qualify.
How do I enter Anchorage Veterans Court?
Veterans who want to be considered for AVC should ask their defense attorney however, the Coalition can provide a direct referral to the Veterans Court (see below).
Veterans Justice Outreach
Veterans Justice Outreach
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) Program is a prevention-focused component of VA’s Homeless Programs Office (HPO), whose mission is to end homelessness among Veterans. Since the program was founded in 2009, VJO Specialists at every VA medical center have provided outreach to justice-involved Veterans in various settings, including jails and courts. As of November 2020, VJO Specialists report serving in 601 Veterans Treatment Courts (VTCs) and other Veteran-focused court programs across the U.S. The number of these courts has grown significantly since June 2016, when VJO Specialists reported serving in 461 courts.
What is a Veterans Treatment Court?
The VTC model is based on the drug and mental health courts that have existed for nearly 30 years. Unlike traditional criminal courts, the primary purpose of a VTC is not to determine whether a defendant is guilty of an offense, but rather to ensure that he or she receives treatment to address unmet clinical needs. Several factors distinguish VTCs from drug and mental health courts, most notably their focus on Veteran defendants, and the involvement of volunteer Veteran mentors who provide non-clinical support to Veteran participants. VTCs reflect the communities that choose to start them, and there is considerable variation among the courts in both participant eligibility criteria and operational processes.
What is VA’s role in these courts?
VTCs are initiated, funded, and operated by local governments, rather than by VA. However, VA directly supports VTCs through the participation of its VJO Specialists as members of VTC treatment teams, and through the health care services it provides to Veteran defendants, most of whom would otherwise receive care at county expense. The Specialists assess Veteran defendants’ treatment needs, link Veterans with appropriate VA treatment services, and (with the Veterans’ permission) provide regular updates to the court on their progress in treatment. VA’s role in a VTC is limited to the treatment-related aspects of the court process; VA does not decide which Veteran defendants should be admitted to a VTC or define the level of offenses (e.g., misdemeanor vs. felony) that a VTC will accept. VJO Specialists work closely with justice system partners as they plan new VTCs, informing the partners about VA services that would be available to Veterans defendants locally or regionally. However, as with all VJO-related services, the Specialists do not advocate specifically for the use a particular model or set numerical targets for desired VTC growth. Instead, they help communities plan to meet the needs of justice-involved Veterans using approaches that best fit local circumstances.
What is a Veterans Treatment Court?
The VTC model is based on the drug and mental health courts that have existed for nearly 30 years. Unlike traditional criminal courts, the primary purpose of a VTC is not to determine whether a defendant is guilty of an offense, but rather to ensure that he or she receives treatment to address unmet clinical needs. Several factors distinguish VTCs from drug and mental health courts, most notably their focus on Veteran defendants, and the involvement of volunteer Veteran mentors who provide non-clinical support to Veteran participants. VTCs reflect the communities that choose to start them, and there is considerable variation among the courts in both participant eligibility criteria and operational processes.
What is VA’s role in these courts?
VTCs are initiated, funded, and operated by local governments, rather than by VA. However, VA directly supports VTCs through the participation of its VJO Specialists as members of VTC treatment teams, and through the health care services it provides to Veteran defendants, most of whom would otherwise receive care at county expense. The Specialists assess Veteran defendants’ treatment needs, link Veterans with appropriate VA treatment services, and (with the Veterans’ permission) provide regular updates to the court on their progress in treatment. VA’s role in a VTC is limited to the treatment-related aspects of the court process; VA does not decide which Veteran defendants should be admitted to a VTC or define the level of offenses (e.g., misdemeanor vs. felony) that a VTC will accept. VJO Specialists work closely with justice system partners as they plan new VTCs, informing the partners about VA services that would be available to Veterans defendants locally or regionally. However, as with all VJO-related services, the Specialists do not advocate specifically for the use a particular model or set numerical targets for desired VTC growth. Instead, they help communities plan to meet the needs of justice-involved Veterans using approaches that best fit local circumstances.
Civil
Alaska Legal Services Corporation
Alaska legal services corporation
ALSC assists clients who are facing critical civil legal issues ranging from consumer law, family law, housing problems, public benefits, healthcare, Alaska Native law, and other areas specific to veterans or the elderly.
You can apply for help with a legal problem by calling their toll-free statewide intake number: 1-888-478-2572
If you are unable to call, you can also fill out an application for ALSC’s Services. Before you apply, please review their client services, eligibility requirements, frequently asked questions, and additional resources.
ALSC does not have the resources to accept all applications. Case acceptance decisions are based on priorities set by their governing Board of Directors.
ALSC attorneys generally do not provide services for cases involving personal injury, accidents, or wrongful death. Many private attorneys will consider taking these types of cases on a “contingency” fee, with no money paid up front and taking their fee as a percent of the recovery.
Attorney Referral
Alaska bar association
Call the Alaska Bar Association Lawyer Referral Services at 1-800-770-9999 (or 907-272-0352 from within Anchorage) for names and contact information for lawyers.
VA Court of Appeals
the Veterans consortium
Do You Need Help with Your Appeal?
The Veterans Consortium will review your case and provide you with a free attorney if you meet all of the following criteria:
OR
Download, print, complete and mail your application forms. Please also send them a copy of your Board of Veterans Appeals decision!
Court Forms (if not already filled out/appealed to the Court) Pro Bono Program Forms
Questions?
Contact The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program
(888) 838-7727 (toll-free)
P: (202) 628-8164
F: (202) 628-8169
intake@vetsprobono.org
The Veterans Consortium will review your case and provide you with a free attorney if you meet all of the following criteria:
- You are a veteran (or qualifying family member of a veteran);
- You have received a denial from the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA);
- You do not have an attorney to help you; and,
- They find at least one meritorious issue they can argue before the Court.
OR
Download, print, complete and mail your application forms. Please also send them a copy of your Board of Veterans Appeals decision!
Court Forms (if not already filled out/appealed to the Court) Pro Bono Program Forms
- Form A: Agreement to Engage an Attorney
- Form B: Filing Fee Status
- Form C: General & Demographic Information
- Complete and print the PDFs.
- Mail, scan, or email the completed forms along with your Board of Veterans Appeals decision to:
The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program
2101 L Street NW, Suite 840
Washington, DC 20037
F: (202) 628-8169
intake@vetsprobono.org
Questions?
- Walk through the Classroom on How To Appeal Your Denial
- Visit their Resource Library.
- Read How to Appeal Your Claim & FAQS.
Contact The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program
(888) 838-7727 (toll-free)
P: (202) 628-8164
F: (202) 628-8169
intake@vetsprobono.org
