April Charney is an American consumer advocate and consumer attorney who is best known for her service to the

Jacksonville Area Legal Aid The Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, JALA, developed during the Great Depression in the United States, Great Depression and the recession of 1937 out of a group of attorneys who organized to provide pro bono legal services to those who could not affor ...

from 2004 until early 2012. Charney has been at the forefront of the legal fight against illegal home foreclosures in America that use fraudulent practices Lyons, Tom, ''Mess far from over, one expert believes'', Sarasota Herald-Tribune, June 19, 2012, page BNV

/ref> and has successfully argued a number of foreclosure defense legal strategies including produce the note and real party in interest arguments. Charney was the legal aid attorney who brought national attention to illegal and fraudulent actions by banks in the foreclosure courts of Jacksonville by being accompanied by a

reporter A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalism ...

at one of the hearings, who saw, firsthand, what was occurring. Published by

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

during November 2010, the ''Invasion of the Home Snatchers'' documented the practices used in the public court hearing. The reporter also stated in his article that the judge intimidated a homeowner fighting foreclosure against talking to the reporter and, shortly thereafter, threatened Charney in an e-mail that, upon a recurrence, he would cite her with contempt for "bringing a stranger to his court". A member of the

National Association of Consumer Advocates National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...

and

National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...

, Charney instructs fellow advocates and attorneys throughout the nation on foreclosure defense strategies and tactics to protect consumers. She asserts that few attorneys are well versed in the legal issues in such cases and that judges often are not familiar with the details of the bank strategies that have been developed under lax regulation during recent decades, which precipitated the economic crisis that began during the late-2000s. Charney has been a featured speaker during several "teach-in" sessions that seek to make knowledge of legal remedies for these cases more accessible to attorneys and the consumers they represent. Earlier in her career, Charney helped low-income renters in

Sarasota, Florida Sarasota () is a city in Sarasota County on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The area is renowned for its cultural and environmental amenities, beaches, resorts, and the Sarasota School of Architecture. The city is located in the sout ...

fight improper evictions. Between 1991 and 2003 she practiced law in Sarasota with Gulfcoast Legal Services as a managing and staff attorney. Following that she 'commuted' to a second residence in Jacksonville for her work at Jacksonville Area Legal Aid. Suffering an acute, life-threatening illness in early 2012, Charney resigned her position in Jacksonville and upon release from hospital, relocated to her prior full-time residence for the protracted recovery. Nonetheless, she continues her advocacy and educational activities around the country. In 2012 Charney was one of two foreclosure experts featured by the Sarasota County Council of Neighborhood Associations, In

at a special event entitled, ''Foreclosure Mess 101''

and in September 2013 she will be featured in ''Foreclosure Mess 101, an update by April Charney'', which will be held by the same organization.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Charney, April Florida lawyers Living people Year of birth missing (living people)