After Jay Manley caught Covid, he became quite ill and needed medical care. Even after recovering, Mr. Manley, a single man in his 70s, suffered from long-term effects and was struggling both physically and financially. It seemed like an answer to a prayer when he heard from a county official that because he appeared to be the sole living heir of his late uncle, Mr. Manley would be entitled to more than $12,000 in proceeds from the sale of his uncle’s home. The property was sold by the county to recover back-owed property taxes. But before he could claim the leftover proceeds from the sale once the tax bill was paid, Mr. Manley needed to establish that he was an heir. He turned to Legal Aid for help.

The Legal Aid attorney assisted Mr. Manley by preparing the required paperwork to show his family history, including his connection to his uncle. Once this notarized document was recorded in the county’s deed records, the attorney filed paperwork with the court showing that Mr. Manley was entitled to the excess proceeds from the real property sale. Although the case was not technically difficult, it was far too involved for someone unfamiliar with the law to handle alone.

“Our client would not have been able to access these funds, which were legally his, without the help of a lawyer,” says the Legal Aid attorney.