Our Impact
Success Stories
Jodi G.
Community Veteran Justice
Project Executive Director
Jodi G. the Community Veteran Justice Project founder helps vets navigate legal needs.
Josh M.
DUI dismissed, Housing, Mental Health Treatment, UCI Masters Graduate
Josh M. is a Navy veteran who was dealing with multiple DUIs and saw no path forward other than jail or death. On top of Josh’s DUIs, he was also dealing with being kicked out of UCLA and evicted from his apartment. These traumatic events, coupled with Josh’s untreated mental illness that arose from his time in the service, eventually led to a suicide attempt. This is where CVJP first met Josh. On a chance referral to our organization, we were able to connect Josh that day with housing.
We soon began to work with his court-appointed defense attorney (after he had spent thousands on private attorneys who were going to get him charged and locked up), and got Josh set up in a mental health treatment program, which is required by the statutes, but was also lifesaving for Josh. Flash forward two years later, and both of Josh’s cases have been dismissed. Josh recently graduated with his Master’s in Public Policy from the University of California, Irvine, and has been able to move on with his life in a healthy and fulfilling manner, leaving his trauma and criminal record in the past.
Edgar D.
DUI dismissed, Housing, Employment, Financial Stability
Edgar D. I served from 2013–2016 on active duty in the Army. When I got out, I went through a divorce and ended up living in my car. I hit rock bottom, could not stop drinking, was out of a job, and in debt because of my marriage. To make matters worse, I got a DUI. I came into the CVJP broke, angry, and depressed. Jodi was extremely patient with me and pointed me in the right direction. My life was turned around from our very first phone call! My case was dismissed, and I got a dissolution for my marriage. Along with housing, I earned my associate’s degree and became financially stable. This year, I became part of a veteran fire crew!
Samantha Z.
Homeless Veteran
Samantha Z. is a female veteran who was homeless (sleeping on a college campus), self-medicating with drugs, and suffering from military sexual trauma (MST), with a pending DUI. CVJP was able to help her build a beautiful life by placing her in a dual-diagnosis drug treatment program, where she was able to detox for 60 days, then transfer to an incredible home in Mission Viejo specifically for female veterans with MST. She received comprehensive care for 90 days, then was given continuing supportive placement where she can live for up to two years while CVJP pursues diversion of her case to have it dismissed.
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Royce R.
Justice Involved Veteran
Royce R. is a veteran who had gotten his 3rd DUI in 2015 and never appeared in court. He had been told all this time that he owed the VA over $70,000 and could no longer get his VA benefits. These VA benefits were not used for nearly 4 years. In fact, if you are convicted of a felony and incarcerated for over 60 days, the VA can stop payment of a veteran’s VA benefits. However, neither of those things had happened to Royce, yet somehow his benefits had gotten shut off up because of his misdemeanor arrests. A VA VJO contacted for Royce, saying that he had felt beaten down and overwhelmed all this time, yet was doing everything he could to get his life together while living at significant veteran program.
CVJP was able to find his three cases with three warrants. One was his open DUI, and two were probation violations in different courts with different amounts on the warrants. We had him get letters from the programs he was in and set up a plan to go to the court with the largest warrant first. We worked with his Public Defender to keep him out of custody and get all three warrants recalled. Also, with his open case, CVJP helped his Public Defender use the California Veteran Diversion Statute, since he had never received treatment before. Within two weeks, we were able to get his VA benefits straightened out and recover all his back pay.
Frank J.
Justice Involved Veteran
Frank J. had an outstanding warrant from the Santa Barbara Veteran Treatment Court for non-payment of fines that had gone into collections. The warrant was interfering with his ability to receive VA benefits and threatened his liberty, as he could be arrested at any time. Because his VA benefits were being affected, it became even more difficult for him to pay the fines and travel to Santa Barbara since he was living in Los Angeles. He had tried for over a year to resolve the issue but was constantly told that once it was in collections, neither the Public Defender nor the judge could get involved.
CVJP sent an email to the Public Defender in the Santa Barbara Veteran Treatment Court, advising them to file a motion to quash the warrant and providing the case law that gave them the authority to do so, thereby compelling the clerk to file the motion. The clerk has no authority to refuse the motion; only the judge can decide to deny it, not the clerk (Voit case: Voit v. Superior Court (Montano) (2011) 201 Cal. App. 4th 1285, 1287–1288). Additionally, CVJP sent them the appellate case stating that the court cannot issue a warrant for unpaid fines without first holding an “Ability to Pay” hearing and determining whether the defendant has the ability to pay. Otherwise, the court must stay the fines.
Mark W.
OTH Discharge Upgrade
Mark W. was raised in Compton, attended prestigious schools, and became an emergency physician and Navy Lieutenant Commander. He served two combat tours in Iraq as an emergency physician, witnessing some of the worst conditions imaginable. He suffered from PTSD after his first combat tour, yet did not receive treatment. He was married with four children, but his wife spent a lot of money trying to cope with his absence. Mark worked double shifts in the emergency department, both military and civilian, relying on energy drinks to endure. He began having conflicts with his command when they told him he could no longer work at a civilian hospital and planned to deploy him on a third combat tour, despite many others never having deployed even once.
Mark wanted to save his wife and children and continued working. Mark’s only coping mechanism was to work harder. They threatened to court-martial him, and he eventually received an OTH discharge. Despite his best efforts, divorce ensued, and it was not amicable. Mark vandalized his wife’s car when she refused to let him see his children as promised. They had mutual restraining orders, which led to his conviction for violating a restraining order and vandalism. This resulted in his medical license being suspended, five years of unemployment, living on food stamps, and struggling to regain his license. CVJP helped him secure an attorney to represent him in his medical license case. CVJP also testified for him at his hearing, which led to his probation being terminated early and his license reinstated. CVJP later helped him obtain a discharge upgrade to “General Under Honorable Conditions” and is currently working on securing a fully honorable discharge. Mark appears in the CVJP video and participates on speaker panels organized by CVJP to help end the stigma surrounding mental health treatment for veterans.
Steve M.
Restraining wall/VA Ramp
Steve M. is a disabled veteran who contacted CVJP to assist with a situation that was causing damage and limiting access to the home he shared with his wife. A faulty retaining wall was to blame, and he could not build a ramp that he desperately needed to access his home. No one wanted to take responsibility and fix the mistakes until Steve contacted CVJP. Immediate action was taken, and Steve was connected to his local government representatives. He was also assisted in writing formal requests to both his representatives and his Property Management Company.
CVJP motivated Steve to keep submitting his formal requests until, finally, the Property Management Company took responsibility, replaced the retaining wall, and paid for the substantial damages that were caused. Steve and his wife were extremely proud of this successful outcome. As Steve shared: “Ms. Galvin is a real gem who truly cares about veterans. None of the work that was accomplished could have been done without her. My wife Robin and I are forever grateful to you.”
Robert K.
DUI diversion, Eviction, working on felony
Robert K. CVJP was able to help Robert keep an eviction off his record, secure military diversion for a DUI, and find a defense attorney who took his case pro bono to file a federal lawsuit against law enforcement for violating his civil rights by assaulting this disabled veteran.
Robert W
Robert is a veteran who walked into our CVJP intake site at the West LA VA Medical Center while enrolled in a residential treatment program there. He had recently joined the program as a result of a DUI charge. Unfortunately, soon after enrolling, Robert experienced a relapse. CVJP sprang into action and, through their connections, was able to get him into another residential treatment program seamlessly. That program worked for Robert, and he was able to complete it successfully. CVJP also collaborated with Robert’s public defender and the Veteran Justice Officer (VJO) to have diversion granted for his charge. Today, Robert is thriving and committed to maintaining his recovery while giving back to the veteran community.
This experience was life-changing for Robert. He decided he wanted to help other veterans in the same way CVJP helped him. Today, Robert continues to maintain his sobriety and has also completed VA training to become a Peer Support Specialist. He is well on his way to accomplishing his goal of working for the VA as a Peer Support Specialist and helping fellow veterans in need.
Omar H
Omar is a Marine Corps veteran who came to CVJP when he was homeless with 2 DUI charges and a public intoxication charge. In addition, Omar’s drinking and limited coping skills had led to unfortunate issues during his service and he received an Other Than Honorable Discharge for which he also needed assistance with upgrading. Added to his military trauma, Omar also experienced childhood trauma through the foster care system. His trauma history was the precursor for his PTSD, depression and alcohol dependence. CVJP was the stabilizing force that Omar desperately needed in his life Even after Omar would relapse, CVJP would still be there for him.And worked to get him into treatment program.
After treatment program – until one finally worked for Omar. He was granted diversion in his cases, is taking classes to get his driver’s license back, and is in the progress of getting his discharge upgrade. Today, Omar is successfully employed, sober, living in a veteran’s transitional housing facility and very hopeful about his future.
Randy C
Randy is an Army veteran who served a combat tour in Afghanistan. Due to his military service traumas, as well as his childhood traumas, Randy suffered from complex and severe mental health and substance abuse issues that led to him accumulating multiple cases across several cities. CVJP sprang into action and helped Randy get the mental health and substance abuse treatment he so desperately needed, which resulted in a diversion being granted. However, he also picked up additional charges, which further complicated his case. By calling in additional resources and utilizing a collaborative approach with several entities, including the VA and the Department of Mental Health, CVJP led the effort to get Randy into intensive treatment.
This made all the difference. Randy was finally able to complete a treatment program, and eventually, all of his cases were dismissed. Currently, Randy has stable housing and employment, remains active in outpatient treatment and his AA community, and is doing very well. As Randy shared about CVJP: “Ms. Galvin, along with the VJO, really went out of their way to help me. I was a difficult client, and although sometimes I wanted to forget it all because it was overwhelming with all the cases I had in different cities, they continued to believe that I could do what needed to be done. They spoke with all the different public defenders to get them on the same page. They provided me with supporting letters and helped me get into the Domiciliary quickly. With VJO and Ms. Galvin’s experience as a former prosecutor, their words and letters carried a lot of weight. I’m truly grateful that I reached out to them. If you’re experiencing legal issues, I highly recommend reaching out to them for help.”
Danielle M
Danielle is a Marine Corps veteran originally from Philadelphia. She honorably served in the Marine Corps for eight years, and after finishing her tour of service, decided to stay in California, where she attended UCLA and earned a degree in Anthropology. Danielle contacted CVJP for assistance with a complicated divorce from her husband. She needed to ensure she had custody of her autistic daughter so that her daughter would receive the care needed to thrive. CVJP not only supported Danielle in obtaining the resources and services she needed, but they were also able to connect her with one of the top family attorneys in Los Angeles, who was willing to take on her case pro bono.
Danielle’s divorce case was resolved in her favor, and she was so satisfied with the results from CVJP that she decided to become a CVJP volunteer. She stated that she wanted to be part of CVJP so she could help her fellow veterans get back on track. Danielle enjoys being part of the CVJP team, as she feels she can be of assistance to veterans who are trying to regain their independence and become active participants in society.
Reginald B
Reginald is an honorably discharged veteran who was doing well until he picked up a DUI charge. This charge was disastrous, as Reginald’s job depended on having his driver’s license, and he consequently lost his job. This also led to Reginald losing his housing as well as his long-term relationship with his girlfriend. He was in dire circumstances when CVJP stepped in to help. CVJP not only secured a diversion for Reginald’s DUI case, which he successfully completed, but also helped him get a job through their security guard employment connections. Today, Reginald is a supervisor at the same security guard company where CVJP initially got him a job, and he is proud to be one year sober!
Phillip B
Phillip is a veteran who contacted CVJP for assistance while he was enrolled in a residential treatment program at the West LA VA Medical Center. He was on a good path to make positive changes in his life when he discovered an issue with an old warrant that was affecting his benefits. This situation was extremely stressful for Phillip and threatened both his newfound recovery and the progress he was making in his residential treatment program. To make matters worse, his warrant issue was in Lancaster, which made him even more reluctant to address it, as he did not want to leave his residential program in West LA.
CVJP stepped in immediately and connected with Phillip’s public defender, as well as the Veteran Justice Officer (VJO) in Lancaster. After many negotiations, CVJP successfully arranged to have Phillip’s case transferred to Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) and allowed him to continue his treatment at the West LA VA. Due to CVJP’s dedication and assistance, Phillip was able to complete his residential program, and his case was subsequently dismissed. Phillip’s public defender reported that, while he had worked with many veterans, Phillip was his first case in which the veteran actually completed diversion and had his case dismissed. Phillip is an inspiration to all.
Ge’Kayla T
Ge’Kayla is an 80% SC veteran and a young mother of two sons who had a legal issue in which CVJP assisted her in obtaining an alternative sentence. As part of her alternative sentence, Ge’Kayla was given probation with 200 hours of community service. However, due to her disability, she was physically unable to complete the community service initially assigned to her. CVJP staff suggested that Ge’Kayla consider becoming a CVJP Worker at our intake site at the West LA VA Medical Center to fulfill her community service hours. She was very excited and hopeful about this option; however, she was extremely anxious about asking her probation officer for approval.
CVJP supported Ge’Kayla in developing a formal request, and it was accepted! She then completed the CVJP Volunteer Training and is doing an excellent job as a CVJP Worker, helping veterans like herself overcome their legal barriers. Ge’Kayla is nearly halfway through her community service requirement and is looking forward to completing her probation through her volunteer position with CVJP, where she enjoys giving back to other veterans.
Vernon A
Vernon A is a young veteran who experienced a weapons charge and needed assistance with all aspects of obtaining the necessary requirements to pursue a diversion in his case. When his public defender first referred him to CVJP, Vernon had none of the requirements he needed and did not know where to begin. The CVJP Social Worker worked with Vernon almost daily to obtain all of the requirements, connecting him to the VA Mental Health Clinic as well as the Veteran Justice Officer (VJO) at his nearest VA facility. Vernon faced yet another barrier when the judge in his case requested to see his entire medical record, which is not a requirement for diversion.
This made Vernon very anxious due to his past trauma history. CVJP educated both the public defender’s office as well as the judge about the diversion requirements and provided a letter of support explaining Vernon’s complex mental health history, which made him an excellent candidate for diversion. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Vernon’s court date has been postponed, but with CVJP’s comprehensive assistance in helping him overcome all the barriers and obstacles he encountered, his public defender feels confident that diversion will be granted in Vernon’s case.
Mark S
Mark is an Air Force veteran with an honorable discharge. When he first came to CVJP, he was homeless, angry, his benefits were interrupted, and the LAPD had taken his legally registered weapons, which bothered him daily. Ms. Galvin worked with Mark extensively to help him maintain his sobriety, get his benefits in order, and obtain an ID. Later, we learned he also had an outstanding DUI warrant charge in Arizona, even though he was living in California. CVJP not only facilitated getting Mark accepted into the Veteran Treatment Court (VTC) in Arizona, but also helped him coordinate the details so he could meet his mandatory sentence (house arrest) and treatment requirements in California.
This required skilled navigation through many legal processes. CVJP supported Mark in enrolling in treatment, both medical and mental health, through his local VA Hospital in West Los Angeles. CVJP was able to successfully help Mark resolve his Arizona DUI without ever leaving LA! After working with Mark on his legal issue, he also shared that he needed assistance with obtaining his VA benefits as well as VA housing. CVJP collaborated with their resource connections and was able to accomplish both within a year. Mark now has his own apartment in Marina Del Rey. After establishing stable income, housing, mental health, and alcohol recovery, he felt he was in such a good place that he wanted to volunteer with CVJP. Mark shared that he wanted to help other veterans the same way CVJP had helped him, by giving back. After successfully completing CVJP volunteer training, Mark has become one of the best volunteer CVJP workers at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center. He is able to build quick rapport with his fellow veterans in need and has helped countless veterans in his new role. Mark reports enjoying volunteering with CVJP, where he is able to support other veterans like himself.
Voices from the community
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The encouragement and resources I received here have helped me rebuild my confidence. This place gave me a sense of belonging and a renewed purpose in life.
David H., Marine Corps Veteran
Voices from the community
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The encouragement and resources I received here have helped me rebuild my confidence. This place gave me a sense of belonging and a renewed purpose in life.