Volunteer Spotlight: Betsey Hapner, Hapner Law

Betsey Hapner has been a fixture in Hillsborough County’s juvenile justice system for longer than Crossroads For Florida Kids has existed. She started volunteering as an Attorney Ad Litem when then-Judge Ashley Moody first launched the program, years before Crossroads took shape as an organization. Her reason for getting involved has stayed the same ever since: for decades, she watched vulnerable teens try to make their way through the juvenile system with no lawyer and no parent or guardian standing beside them. With their futures on the line, she saw it as fundamentally unfair and decided to do something about it.

That commitment has led to some high-stakes work. In one case, Betsey served as AAL for a young man facing an adult felony jury trial for attempted first-degree murder. He was in no position to weigh decisions like whether to testify on his own behalf. Working alongside a skilled assistant public defender, Betsey helped guide him through the process, and the jury returned a verdict of not guilty.

For Betsey, the reward of the work goes beyond any single case. She sees it as a rare opportunity, especially for young attorneys, to get real courtroom experience while paired with an experienced mentor. And volunteers who aren’t attorneys with experience in the juvenile system still gain something valuable: a deeper understanding of how the system works and what it means for the families who move through it. Every volunteer, regardless of background, is partnered with an attorney who knows the territory.

Outside the courtroom, Betsey has a passion that’s just as longstanding as her advocacy work. She’s been sewing since she was 12 years old, and she still does it the old-fashioned way. Rather than reach for one of the newer electronic machines that automate the process, she prefers the challenge of doing it by hand.