Indiana Legal Services, Inc.

They are very misleading about helping with Child custody cases and they tell black people they can't help with custody cases but help white people with their custody cases according to the reviews. They seem very discriminatory and next time I call, and feel discriminated against, I'll be contacting The Metropolitan Human Relations Commission. There should be no reason why I read the reviews and see that people HAVE INDEED been helped with their custody cases. They are very rude, they speak to people very ill. Especially that old woman that answers..They need to reevaluate their whole company and have better transparency because there are a lot of low income people who really need they help and they deny people. Other cities/states do a wayyyyy better job with legal aid for citizens but Fort Wayne and ILS is a joke, they don't help anyone. ILS really don't help anyone with custody cases so why lie on the website and say you do...Don't lie to the people.

I have applied three times now to use Indiana Legal services. The first time was for rent an eviction issues with my apartment complex and I received some help but eventually it ended up resolving itself and I didn't need help anymore. The second time was to appeal a disability decision regarding my child and the lawyer that I spoke to seemed like she did not want to help me. That I wouldn't be able to win and that it was basically a waste of her time. I felt really discouraged and it just left an awful taste in my mouth so I just decided to not pursue it. This time, I applied for child custody issues and contempt of court. If it were really that simple and just going to court and getting my child back on our regular schedule I would have never applied for services but in my particular case it's not going to be that cut and dry. I received an email telling me that Unfortunately they couldn't help me at this time because they didn't have enough lawyers. Which I took it as them saying, that if this is contempt of court you just take him to court and you'll get your child back on your regular schedule of what it's supposed to be and there will be no issues. However, like I said it's not going to be that cut and dry or that easy and it would get messy and I need legal representation. I'm a single mother with very low income and would not be able to afford an attorney at all especially with as messy as I feel that this case is going to get. They offered me a list of resources and the only free one that they offer does not do child custody cases. I don't know why you would offer me something that doesn't even pertain to what I'm asking for. I'm also applying to you guys because you guys are free and I don't have any money so low income or having to pay or giving me options of attorneys that I could do free consultation that I have to pay for are not helpful. The two other matters that I discussed earlier in this review were a little important but not as much as when it comes to my child and I feel like I 've tried to use them they just kind of threw me to the side and said we're not really interested. I get that you're a free service, but that's not really helpful and it's really discouraging. I know nothing of Law and self-representation would not help me in any way whatsoever in this case. Just not very helpful in any way whatsoever. If you want to just throw multiple people to the side because you feel it's not worth your time or your services then go to a law firm where you get paid, if you're not getting paid here.

I dealt with Regan perrodin. Based on my research she appears to be fresh out of law school and doesn't seem competent. When I asked questions I got a lot of maybe, might, and I'm not sure. She also said a few times it depends on the circumstances and im thinking well you know all the circumstances. Long story short having landlord issues and she seemed to side with him (based on his lies). She said I was wrong about some things then later switched to they couldn't take my case. I think they just said I was in the wrong to try to avoid saying they can't take my case. Not helpful at all. I asked if the notice I received from landlord could let him actually file an eviction and she couldn't tell me. I spoke with a lawyer who is experienced in a free consultation that told me he would not be able to file for eviction. She appeared to not even realize you can't just file an eviction without good reason and meeting all the requirements. I was appalled she was not on my side. Being on your client's side is lawyer 101. I will never get ahold of anyone from here ever again. Why volunteer to help people if you won't help them. Literally just wasted my time.

I had to literally beg these people for help, and when they finally “helped,” I feel they did more to help the aggressive bully than they did to help me. Blind to discrimination, possibly just lazy, Mr. Baumgartner muted me while we listened to the plaintiff literally lie to the court. I was not allowed to defend myself, explain anything, or even point out the context of the material that was actually submitted by the plaintiff. The whole experience felt like I was being shafted, and like he traded me for a beer or threw me to the lions merely for entertainment. I recommend avoiding this establishment unless, like myself, you have no other choice. Even then, I feel it would have been faster to simply skip the whole thing anyway. When Mr. Baumgartner lost my case he promptly abandoned me citing issues of staffing, resources, and time. I couldn’t be less impressed and I can’t imagine I could feel less betrayed, though it seems like all the social services in Fort Wayne, Indiana are engineered to give the disadvantaged false hope while sustaining the status quo and shuffling all resources and energy into sustaining the discriminators, the thieves, and the bullies so long as they have property or connections. Mr. Baumgartner was might quick to defend AG Rentals despite their lies about service request completions, he seemed quick to surrender to First Choice Housing despite having a recording he could have submitted where Mr. Lindsay berates me and swears at me. A conversation his wife says was vulgar to the court. It seemed like a ridiculously easy case to win to me, two years of current rent, two years of fixing their property, two years of direct communication with an owner, only to have them throw me out based on lies that could be easily demonstrated with the text messages, e-mails, photos, and recordings I have? I sincerely hope you’re never in a situation where you need someone’s actual and real help. Even more I hope you never have to settle for this. It is my opinion that you will be fed to the lions and abandoned. Avoid at all costs, especially if you’re disabled, LGBTQI, not Christian, or fall into any ethnic demographic. They get paid whether you lose or not. Where does their funding come from? Hmmm...

I have Andrew Thomas and I have the best attorney at law working for me! He has told me he looks forward to looking into my case. I look forward to hearing from him again soon. He seems quite knowledgeable about modifications/abatements. I will continue to update my review as our case goes on. Update: Andrew Thomas Esq. did a phenomenal job. He is a man of integrity. I couldn't ask for a better attorney. Thank you!