Nationwide SNAP Violation Lawyers

Cincinnati Snap Violation Attorneys

Many stores depend on SNAP payments for a substantial part of their business. When officials from the United States Department of Agriculture believe that a business accepts SNAP payments in a way that breaks the rules, they might send the business a notice of the violation. They might even include details of the transactions that they say are in violation of their rules. If that’s happened to you, it can be a significant source of stress. Not only do you depend on accepting SNAP benefits for your business, the people who shop at your business rely on being able to use their benefits at your store.

If you’re facing an allegation of a SNAP violation, you should contact an experienced legal team as soon as possible. In most cases, you have only 10 days to prepare and submit your statement. If you miss this window, it can make it much harder to defend yourself against the allegations. In fact, it can result in your losing your ability to accept SNAP benefits at your store.

The SNAP Progarm

The SNAP program makes sure that people have enough to eat. The SNAP program is a federal program, but each state administers its own program. The number of people in your household and your household income determine whether you qualify for benefits. You receive your benefits on a card that’s reloaded each month. You can only use the benefits for qualifying purchases.

SNAP Violations

There are a number of ways that business and individuals can violate SNAP regulations. Individuals might sell their benefits to other people. This is against the rules. Businesses might accept benefits for items that aren’t allowed like alcohol or cigarettes.

Even saying things that aren’t true on your application to accept SNAP benefits can be a violation. A business can’t submit more receipts for SNAP benefits than they sell in food products. A business also can’t accept SNAP benefits if they know that a card is stolen.

What To Do If You’re Facing a SNAP Violation

If you’re accused of violating SNAP rules, contact us as soon as possible. We’re experienced in helping good people defend against allegations of SNAP violations. You need to act quickly because a SNAP violation letter can appear without any notice. Officials may not have even asked you for your side of the story before they issue a notice of the violation. However, you have only 10 days to respond.

When you work with us, our team gets to work quickly. We evaluate the evidence in your case and prepare an effective response. We help you at all stages of the case including your initial reply, at hearings and during appeals. Our team can work with you to gather the evidence that you need in order to effectively respond to the allegations. At each stage of the case, we can help you evaluate all of the options and pursue the course of action. SNAP appeals are often detailed and technical, and we want to work with you to prepare the possible defense to the allegations against you.

Possible Penalties

If the state decides that you’ve violated SNAP rules, your business can lose your ability to accept SNAP benefits. For many businesses, that might mean having to close the doors. The state can take away your ability to accept SNAP for five years. For most stores, that’s just long enough to go out of business.

What Happens If I Don’t Respond?

If you don’t respond, the state can issue a default judgment against you. When you have a lawyer, you have a chance to tell your side of the story. You also have the chance to negotiate. You can pursue your case through rounds of administrative appeals.

Our team of attorneys can help you examine the allegations. We read each allegation and carefully examine the rules in detail. If the allegation doesn’t match the rules the state references in the notice, the state may not be able to prove their case. If they claim you’ve broken a rule, it must be a rule that’s in place at the time of the alleged violation. Our team of experienced attorneys is ready to help you defend against allegations of SNAP violations. Please contact us today.