Free Legal Aid Van to Visit Morgan County Courthouse Regularly
A Land of Lincoln Legal Aid van has begun making visits to the Morgan County Courthouse in Jacksonville to offer free civil legal advice on busy court days. The service aims to improve access to justice for low income residents, with planned regular stops timed to court filings that draw heavy foot traffic.
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Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, a nonprofit that provides free civil legal assistance to low income residents across southern and central Illinois, has started bringing a branded van to the Morgan County Courthouse on State Street to meet people as they come and go from court. Two attorneys from the organization visited Thursday, using the vehicle as a mobile base to offer in person help and to build a schedule around high demand days.
The courthouse sees an influx of people on most Wednesdays and Thursdays, when dockets are filed, and the nonprofit plans to position attorneys on those days to maximize contact with people who may need legal information before or after proceedings. Attorneys Caden Owens and Trinity Gore led the Thursday visit and described the van as a way to reach residents who might otherwise face barriers to legal help.
Land of Lincoln serves 65 counties across southern and central Illinois and focuses on civil matters for low income clients. The group does not handle traffic cases, criminal matters, or probate, but staff say they can assist with many other kinds of civil issues and already provide legal advice by phone. The mobile van will expand that capability so that people can receive guidance on the spot when they are at the courthouse.
For Morgan County residents the change could reduce immediate hurdles to accessing counsel. Having attorneys available at the point of court contact can help people understand filings, next steps, paperwork deadlines, and civil rights, which in turn can affect housing stability, employment, family legal matters, and access to public benefits. Legal support at these touch points can also ease the administrative burden on courthouse staff and potentially reduce return trips by residents who would otherwise have to navigate complex processes without guidance.
Public health and social equity experts note that access to legal services is a social determinant of health, because legal problems around housing, income, and benefits can create stress and undermine stability. Bringing free civil legal help directly to a community courthouse addresses transportation and time barriers that often prevent low income people from seeking assistance before legal matters escalate.
Land of Lincoln staff said they could begin regular services as early as January, though they also noted that spring may be a more realistic start because of weather considerations. The arrangement remains provisional as the nonprofit finalizes scheduling and logistics. For now, the visible presence of the van signals an effort to expand access to justice in Jacksonville and across Morgan County, and to connect vulnerable residents with practical legal help when they need it most.
