Equal Justice University 2025

This interactive session will provide participants with the legal foundations and advocacy strategies to advocate for students facing school discipline and related delinquency charges in challenging circumstances. We will cover the due process discipline rights of all students facing suspension or expulsion in school settings. The session will also cover the rights, protections, and supports afforded to students with disabilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA).  Participants will learn strategies for developing a strong discipline case from case selection and investigation through hearings and appeals. Participants will also have an opportunity to develop advocacy strategies for use in challenging discipline cases that may lead to charges in juvenile court, with a focus on advocacy in Threats of Mass Violence cases. Although the session will highlight Threats of Mass Violence cases, the principles will apply to any school discipline cases and related juvenile charges.

Learning Objectives:

1. Learn the due process rights of students facing school discipline  
2. Understand the protections afforded to students facing discipline by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA).
3. Develop legal and advocacy skills to address challenging disciplinary cases in schools and in juvenile court

This session will explore a general overview of debt collection defense strategy and provide insight into what to look for when evaluating defenses in a variety of collections cases, including third-party debt collectors and original creditors.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identifying proper case/litigation strategy in third-party collection cases.
2. Understanding proper evidentiary objections and legal arguments in collections cases, as well as counterarguments from debt collectors.
3. Identifying separate strategies for original creditor cases, fraud cases, and collections scam cases.

Presentation on how to determine a debtor's eligibility for Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy and basic bankruptcy rules that every advocate should know. Will discuss some common misconceptions about bankruptcy.

We travel over two centuries and all across Tennessee to attend our state’s greatest civil and criminal trials in history and, in the process, we will meet Tennessee’s greatest lawyer and judge; “the Mother of the Civil Rights Movement;” the state’s worst trial judge; and Tennessee’s first hitman. Many of these trials had an impact beyond the courtroom on the law, the legal system, politics, and even culture, as well as propelled great legal and judicial careers. All had intense national press attention and courtroom drama.

Learning Objectives:

1. Better appreciation of Tennessee’s rich legal history. 
2. Better appreciation of great and ethical lawyering and judging.
3.    Better appreciation of the impact of the dynamic trial process for good and evil.

Many survivors of human trafficking end up with criminal records. These records can be an obstacle to their ability to stay on a positive path of healing and also serve as a negative reminder of their lowest moments. Helping survivors understand their records and clearing as much of their record as possible can be life-changing.

This session will teach participants about an expungement law specifically for survivors of human trafficking, giving them context and information to empower participants to represent survivors in these petitions. It will also provide important information about trauma-informed lawyering and how it can play out in practice in the context of representing clients who are survivors of human trafficking. The session will address how trauma-informed lawyering intersects with professional legal responsibilities as well as effective client relationships. Participants will respond to prompts and engage in small group discussion around the topic of trauma-informed lawyering, to work together to further develop our collective skill in this important area.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the human trafficking expungement law and be prepared to use it to support clients 
2. Identifying how trauma-informed lawyering intersects with professional legal responsibilities 
3. Building trauma-informed lawyering skills

General information and issue spotting for state and federal public benefits programs that non-benefits case handlers can use to identify possible issues and unify their practices with benefits work to wholistically assist the client.

Learning Objectives:

1. Have a better understanding of public benefits programs available in TN. 
2. Issue spot possible financial and other eligibility issues for CLs
3. Be able to screen CLs for issues with their benefits and know when to refer to the benefits unit

Immigration is a rapidly changing area of law, and those changes can be quite drastic when a new administration assumes control. This session will summarize the most recent changes in immigration policy and predict how those changes may affect public benefit programs such as SNAP, WIC, and TennCare. Attendees will be better equipped to recognize problems and offer solutions to immigrant clients attempting to use or enroll in public benefit programs.

Learning Objectives:

1. Familiarize attendees with immigration policy changes.   
2. Connect immigration policy changes with public benefit programs.
3. Equip attendees with problem solving skills as it relates to immigrant clients and public benefit programs.

The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program—commonly known as Section 8—is one of the most critical housing assistance programs in the United States, helping low-income individuals and families afford stable, decent housing in the private market. This session will provide attendees with a foundational understanding of how the HCV program operates, including key regulations and procedures. Attendees will learn about common reasons tenants lose their vouchers, such as alleged lease violations, missed deadlines, or program compliance issues. The session will also explore how to intervene to preserve a client’s housing assistance—whether through administrative hearings, negotiations with landlords and housing authorities, or educating clients about their rights and responsibilities. Practical tips and case examples will equip advocates to better serve clients and prevent unnecessary loss of vital housing supports.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the basic structure and eligibility requirements of the Housing Choice Voucher Program, including the three-way partnership between housing authorities, landlords, and voucher-holders. 
2. Identify the most common causes of voucher termination or denial and recognize early warning signs that a client may be at risk of losing their housing assistance. 
3. Learn effective legal strategies and advocacy approaches for helping clients retain their vouchers, including preparing for informal hearings, negotiating with landlords and housing authorities, and addressing client-side compliance issues.

How Orders of Protection Affect and Interact with Other Courts and Causes of Action

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand that findings in an order of protection hearing are very useful for other family law matters. 
2. Understand that criminal convictions are very useful for obtaining orders of protection, especially lifetime orders of protection. 
3. Learn work with clients on the decision-making process re: having a hearing or not.