TAMPA, Fla. — It can be difficult for people to ask for help in a time of need.
That can be especially true for veterans in need.
As Veterans Day approaches, Bay News 9 Anchors Rick Elmhorst and Roy De Jesus talk with Hillsborough County Judge Daryl M. Manning and Veterans Services Manager Edwin Ortiz (Dept of Consumer and Veterans Affairs) about Tampa Veterans Court and its benefits for those in need.
The court provides aid for veterans dealing with a myriad of legal issues, ranging from court fees and fines they may have incurred to dealing with more involved issues.
The Tampa Veterans Court has partnered with the State Attorneys Office, Public Defender’s Office, the Veterans Administration and the Clerk of the Court.
“About six years ago, we noticed the large veterans population in Florida and our question was what we could do to help vets with legal matters,” said Manning, a judge in Hillsborough’s 13th Judicial Circuit. “All of the judges would see veterans come in (to court)….in family law or the criminal side and we would see them trying to deal with these issues in the courts.”
That led to the creation of the Tampa Veterans Courts and its mission to aid those that served.
Part of that mission, Ortiz said, is just making vets aware of the help available.
The court can help the vet get the legal help they need in a variety of areas, resolve issues and in some cases get fines and fees waived.
“There is so much outreach to accomplish and education,” Ortiz said. “(In so many cases) it can improve the quality of their lives overnight.”
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