Our attorneys, staff and volunteers handle civil cases free of charge for Minnesota`s most vulnerable people. With expertise and compassion, we work to provide fundamental legal protection so that our clients can achieve safety, autonomy and access to opportunities. In addition to direct legal representation, we work with policy makers and advocate for equal rights and protection of the law. Legal advice is often the only lifeline available to people facing life-changing consequences, such as losing their homes, jobs or custody of their children. For example, research has shown that the provision of legal services “significantly reduces the incidence of family violence.” The form of assistance depends on the nature of the legal problem the client is facing. Legal aid lawyers represent clients in a variety of matters outside of court, litigate before the courts on their behalf, and often conduct complex litigation seeking systemic change that affects many people facing similar circumstances. Upsolve – Find free legal help to declare bankruptcy. Keep in mind that Chapter 7 bankruptcy information remains on your credit file for 10 years. This can make it difficult to get loans, buy a home, get life insurance, or get a job. Learn more about bankruptcy and other options for dealing with debt. National Disability Rights Network – Find legal advice by state for people with disabilities. Legal aid provides justice and addresses the fundamental problems of low-income and people in need of protection by providing high-quality legal services. Visit the menu below and the rest of the VaLegalAid.org website for general information on civil law issues.
The total amount allocated to the provision of civil legal assistance in the United States is approximately $1.345 billion. The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is the largest funder of legal aid programs in the United States, providing about one-quarter of these funds. LSC is a government-funded non-profit organization that awards scholarships to 134 scholars nationwide. With this federal funding, recipients must meet certain restrictions on advocacy and client eligibility that do not apply to many other sources of civil legal aid funding. NLADA played a leading role in the founding of the LSC in 1974 and continues to lobby Congress vigorously for funding. * New self-help and DIY court forms to waive court fees and enforce the law against your landlord. For general legal information and resources, choose a topic below to get answers to your legal questions, find a legal aid office near you, court information, public forms and more. Seniors Care Locator – Enter your postal code to find local offices for legal and senior care organizations. Federally funded legal aid firms provide lawyers who are experts in helping low-income people with legal problems.
A person facing civil law problems related to health, housing, family, money and work is in most cases not entitled to a court-appointed lawyer. Legal aid is working to fill this gap and help as many people as possible. LawHelp.org – Find free legal aid programs in your community. Here you will find information about your legal rights by topic, e.g. housing, divorce, family allowances and debt collection. Information about the law or tools to solve simple legal problems. Legal Assistance for Veterans – Find free legal clinics and other resources from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Other sources of legal aid funding include private foundations and donations, government funding, often through state legal foundations, contracts and grants from federal, state, and local agencies, and scholarships. If you need help with a civil law issue, enter an address or city below to find an LSC-funded legal aid organization near you. Despite the dedicated advocacy of lawyers who often dedicate their careers to the needs of low-income individuals, programs are significantly underfunded and often forced to prioritize services to the most disadvantaged clients in a limited number of issues affecting their most pressing legal needs. Nevertheless, it is estimated that about half of those eligible for legal aid programmes will have to be turned back.
Those who are served often receive brief advice and limited services. Rejected people rely on self-help and the provision of legal information, but even these resources are not available to everyone who needs them. There are legal aid offices (also called legal counsel) in the United States. Legal aid organizations are non-profit organizations that provide free legal aid to people who cannot afford to hire a lawyer. While many legal aid centres only help people with very low incomes, some offices have more flexible income rules. Individual lawyers (also called lawyers) are experts in various areas of law. Some lawyers specialize in a particular area of law, such as commercial, civil, criminal or juvenile law. You need to determine what type of lawyer is right for your legal situation.
Once you`ve found a lawyer, ask them about their experience, areas of expertise, and questions such as “How would you handle my case?” and “What do you charge for your services/what is your fee structure?” In addition to asking friends and family for the name of a good lawyer or checking the phone book, you can find legal help online. Other issues: Once legal aid has accepted a case, clients with other issues such as unreliable transportation, lack of telephone, trauma symptoms, depression and anxiety, substance use, literacy disorders and others may also be offered social work support to resolve issues that hinder their legal case. Legal Aid social workers work with clients and lawyers on the legal team. If you can`t afford a lawyer, legal aid can help: Armed Forces Legal Assistance – Find nearby military facilities with legal aid offices. To find a legal aid office near you: Go to www. LawHelp.org and choose the state you live in to find out who in your state can help you solve your legal problem. I do not have legal immigration status. Can legal aid help me? Each legal aid agency has its own rules about who is eligible for its services. However, if you are a victim of violent crime or domestic violence, legal aid can certainly help protect you from domestic violence or abuse, even if you do not have legal immigration status. If you are a victim of domestic violence, legal aid can also apply for immigration on your behalf.
Some legal aid organizations specialize in a wide range of immigration law issues. Go to www. LawHelp.org information on the rules applicable to legal aid offices in your area. Are there cases where legal aid is not being addressed? Legal aid in civil matters does not deal with cases of pecuniary damage, such as medical malpractice, car accidents or traffic offences or criminal cases. (For the difference between civil and criminal cases, see The differences between the criminal court and the civil court). What can I expect from a lawyer? Legal aid lawyers have the same qualifications as other lawyers. Everything you tell your lawyer is confidential, which means it will not be shared with anyone outside the legal aid office. Since everything you tell your lawyer is confidential, tell them the truth. Your lawyer can help you better if you tell him the truth. I am not eligible for legal aid, who can I go to for help? The jury is here: Study shows that civil legal aid changes lives by providing long-term and lasting impacts that increase stability.
You can also visit LawHelp.org to find information about your legal issues and find free legal forms. LSC-funded legal aid in the shaded red region is managed by: Civil legal aid is the provision of legal aid and legal aid to people living in poverty or close to poverty in legal matters outside the criminal justice system. For people facing civil law challenges such as unlawful evictions, foreclosures, domestic violence, or unlawful denial of government support, it may be impossible to navigate the court system without a lawyer. However, unlike the right of access to a lawyer in criminal proceedings, the courts have not recognized the right to a lawyer in the vast majority of civil cases. This makes justice inaccessible to low-income people and undermines a fundamental principle of our nation, which is that the amount of money a person receives should not determine the quality of justice they receive. Free pro bono legal aid – Find free or low-income legal aid.
