Bria Williams, program manager for the Justice Bus, spoke to the Winnfield Kiwanis Club on Tuesday, Aug. 26, about the services the mobile legal unit provides to rural communities.

Williams, originally from Charlottesville, VA., came to Alexandria by way of Houston. A graduate of a college that required 20 hours of community service for graduation, she said the experience cemented her belief in public service. After earning a degree in education, she taught first grade in 2019–20, the year the COVID-19 pandemic forced classrooms online. Following that year, she transitioned into community and public service.

The Justice Bus is operated through a partnership among Lagniappe Law Lab, the Louisiana Bar Foundation and the Louisiana Civil Navigation Foundation. For the past 2½ years, the mobile office has served underserved, rural communities in Winn, Rapides, Grant, Vernon and LaSalle parishes.

The bus is fully equipped with computers, printers, Wi-Fi and air conditioning. It provides educational materials, court-approved forms and planning worksheets, while also connecting residents to legal resources. Williams noted that while she is not an attorney, her colleagues on the program’s New Orleans-based team are. Together, they offer information and assistance to help residents navigate civil legal issues.

The Justice Bus also takes part in community events, health coalitions and networking activities. In Winn Parish, the bus is stationed at the Winn Parish Library parking lot on the fourth Tuesday of each month from 1 to 3 p.m. Residents can access self-help tools, court forms, and information about more than 100 civil legal issues, as well as free or reduced-cost legal aid programs.

More information is available at LouisianaLegalNavigator.org.