Campbell Law students help single mother from becoming homeless through BCLC

July 8, 2024

RALEIGH - Campbell Law School students recently worked together to help a single mother of three living in Raleigh from becoming homeless by retaining her Section 8 voucher.

Cameron Miller '25, Anna Goldsmith '25, P.T. Ingle '25 and Devin Thorpe '25 were all enrolled in the Spring 2024 section of the law school's Blanchard Community Law Clinic (BCLC)'s Civil Track, taught by Assistant Clinical Professor Laura Clark.

The client was referred to the BCLC through its partnership with the Wake County Legal Support Center located at the Wake County Courthouse, Clark said.

The client, according to Clark, said the judge in the case had entered an order of eviction against her because the client arrived late to court on the day of her appeal trial. As a result, the sheriff was scheduled to lock the client and her family out of their home in a few days.

Miller and Goldsmith immediately assisted the client by drafting a Motion for Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) based upon information learned during the client interview, Clark continued. The TRO requested to have the sheriff lockout canceled. Ingle argued on the client's behalf the emergency motion for TRO, which was granted by the District Court judge.

P.T. Ingle '25

"It is great to be able to help someone in a vulnerable position like that," Ingle said after the hearing. "Everyone leaves a hearing like that feeling more comfortable; the client in her home, and myself in the journey to becoming a lawyer."

The following week, Thorpe argued on the client's behalf a Rule 60 Motion seeking to set aside the eviction judgment, in a contested hearing where the landlord was represented by counsel, Clark explained. The District Court judge granted the motion, resulting in the eviction judgment against the client being set aside, and her appeal hearing being rescheduled for a later date. The matter later settled prior to the client's appeal hearing date, whereby the eviction case was dismissed and the client's Section 8 voucher was preserved.

Thorpe said, "Thanks to the Clinic, I will never forget what my first trial was like. We, as a unit, were the last thing standing between our client and homelessness, and because of our actions, we were able to keep a roof over our client's head. There is no course or exam that can prepare you for lawyering as a student like the Clinic does. I will not only have something to discuss on my resume because of this course, but I have immense satisfaction knowing I made a difference in my community."

Devin Thorpe '25

A Housing Choice Voucher, or Section 8 voucher, is a housing subsidy paid to the landlord directly by the Public Housing Authority on the behalf of a qualifying tenant. An order of eviction can result in the tenant's Section 8 voucher being terminated.

"The waiting lists for voucher programs are years' long, and some may not even be open at this time," Clark said. "Congratulations to our students for working together to achieve this outstanding result on behalf of the Clinic client!"

The Civil Track of the Blanchard Community Law Clinic is open to rising second-year and third-year law students and is offered in the fall, spring and summer.

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