Nationwide SNAP Violation Lawyers

SNAP Violation Notices

If you accept EBT cards at your store, you may have already received one or more notices from the USDA. These official letters usually detail a violation of the SNAP program for which the EBT cards are used. As you have only ten days from receipt of the letter to respond, we recommend you contact our office immediately should you receive one. Failure to respond to the notice will result in a suspension of your store’s EBT acceptance privileges.

About SNAP

SNAP is a government assistance program designed to provide needy families with basic funds for necessaries such as groceries. The funds are distributed via the EBT cards, which replaced food stamps but now serve the same function. The FNS arm of the USDA oversees SNAP and enforces necessary regulations.

SNAP Violations

If a store fails to follow the rules outlined below, they may be in violation of SNAP.

• A store trafficked in SNAP benefits, meaning they knowing accepted fraudulent benefits or the theft thereof
• One or more locations accepted EBT cards for goods which are not permitted, such as alcohol or tobacco.
• A store submits false information in order to qualify for EBT acceptance.
• The location redeemed more in EBT sales than actual food items sold within a certain time period.
• One or more employees took SNAP benefits from an individual who isn’t qualified for them.

How to Defend Against a Violation Notice

Our team of trained legal professionals has extensive experience in managing and defending against SNAP violations. We will guide you through the process of a SNAP violation action and be right there with you step-by-step. Although a notice is the initial phase of the process for the USDA, it can arrive without either warning or prior notice. The majority of letters will lay out the violations and attach details of each one, and you have ten days to form a response.

Once we’re on the case, our team will handle communicating on your behalf from then on, as well as gather necessary evidence for a response of our own. Should the government still believe you’re in violation, they’ll send a verdict of suspension, which you have another ten days to protest. Once you hire us, we will file legal documentation and begin appealing the decision, including gathering evidence and generating a brief filled with case law.

Should the USDA decide not to amend its decision, we will then file a Judicial Review in Federal court. From then on, it will function similar to a court case, with discoveries, motions, and a trial. Our firm is well-equipped to handle such cases nationwide.

Violations of SNAP

Grocery store owners and retailers have to adhere to many regulations for the privilege of accepting EBT. For the most part, there are no problems in this regard. However, so many rules means things can get a bit confusing at times. If you accept EBT for things that don’t qualify, you can expect to receive a notice of violation. The penalties should you be found guilty can crush even the business, including permanent disqualification from the program. Oftentimes, unscrupulous employees take advantage without the knowledge or consent of store owners, so the violations come as a shock.

Talking with a qualified SNAP lawyer is one of the ways to protect yourself from severe penalties. Remember, you’ll only have ten days after the date on the letter to respond, and failure to do so can be crushing. The USDA will reach a verdict regardless, so it’s to seek out a qualified professional to form a defense. Our legal team can save you potentially tens of thousands of dollars in penalty fees for a violation. You’ll also need help to prove a compliance policy was in place prior to the allegations, as the government will check to make sure you didn’t benefit from fraud or had knowledge of the violations occurring.

Experts strongly recommend that any store owners talk with qualified SNAP violation attorneys to avoid negative fallout. The minimum disqualification is five years, which can result in major financial losses during that time. Our firm can help you avoid these consequences.