Freed to Run raises funds to help housing-insecure Jacksonville seniors seeking legal representation - Action News Jax

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — For most, the right to legal representation is as absolute as the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. However, for some, that opportunity can be an uphill battle.

“The Supreme Court years ago said if you’re going to take away someone’s liberty and send them to jail or prison, they’re entitled to counsel paid for by the state if they can’t afford it,” Fourth Circuit judge Steve Fahlgren explained Sunday. “We don’t really have that in the civil context.”

On Saturday and Sunday, the organization Freed to Run held multiple runs at the Duval County courthouse to raise money for those who are left fighting civil battles, without representation. Specifically, Freed to Run is looking to close the gap in legal services for elderly people in northeast Florida who are at risk of losing their homes.

“It helps indigent housing-insecure senior citizens in our community deal with consumer fraud, deal with reverse mortgage scams, and anything that could be affecting their golden years and their ability to stay in their house or to stay at suitable housing,” Freed to Run founder Mike Freed told Action News Jax.
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