LawHelp Interactive helps you fill out legal forms. Family law issues. These include divorce, adoption, custody, alimony, parental visitation or parenting time, domestic violence, guardianship, injunctions, defense in paternity claims, and amendment of decrees. Most legal aid agencies limit representation in divorce to certain types of situations. Some offices do not accept divorce cases, except in cases of emergency. Legal aid organizations are not-for-profit businesses that provide free legal aid to low-income clients with non-criminal problems, including cases in some of the following areas: 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? These are the kinds of cases that legal aid agencies can often handle.
However, the type of cases accepted by each legal aid unit may vary. The community, clients and legal aid staff worked together to identify the highest priority issues for low-income people in their area. 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. Information about the law or tools to solve simple legal problems. In addition, legal aid cannot accept so-called „fee-generating” cases. In a fee-generating case, a lawyer`s fees are paid out of the money awarded to the winning party. If you ask for legal help with your problem, you will be told whether it is a paid case or not.
Looking for more information on this topic? Visit LawHelp.org and select your state to find more self-help resources and information about free, low-cost legal aid providers in your area. Visit the menu below and the rest of the VaLegalAid.org website for general information on civil law issues. Legal aid offices do not deal with criminal cases. The court appoints a lawyer to handle criminal proceedings if the client cannot afford legal assistance. Like private lawyers, legal aid lawyers and paralegals work to find the best possible solution to the case for their client. And just like communications between private lawyers and their clients, communications between legal aid clients and their lawyers or paralegals are confidential. Free legal answers – If you have a low income and qualify for the program, you can direct your civil law questions to the American Bar Association. Volunteer lawyers provide answers free of charge. They will not talk about criminal prosecution. To help as many eligible people as possible, most legal aid agencies also use paralegals to help with their cases. Paralegals are not lawyers and cannot practise law, but they can represent clients at administrative hearings. For example, a paralegal may represent clients at hearings involving social assistance, supplementary security income or unemployment benefits.
Paralegals can interview clients and let them know about their benefits. They also research and investigate cases and help negotiate with merchants, landlords or government officials. Paralegals are supervised by lawyers and help provide legal services to clients. 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?” If you need help with your legal problem and think you qualify for legal aid, call your nearest office to find out if you qualify. Updated: October 2011 Your rights if you have a legal problem with money or debts This section will help you understand the different types of cases that legal aid offices usually handle and the roles of paralegals and legal aid lawyers. Utilities.
These include issues of welfare, food stamps, medical assistance, supplementary income, social security and unemployment benefits. If you have been denied benefits, asked to repay benefits, or feel you are not getting the benefits you deserve, a legal aid office may be able to help. 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. This guide has been prepared for general information purposes only. The information contained herein does not constitute legal advice. Legal advice depends on the particular circumstances of each situation. In addition, the law may vary from state to state. Some information in this guide may not be correct for your condition. To find local resources, visit LawHelp.org and select your state. National Disability Rights Network – Find legal advice by state for people with disabilities.
Pension Entitlement Centre – Get free legal help if you have problems with your pension, profit-sharing or retirement savings. 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. Legal Services Corporation (LSC) – Find legal help for low-income individuals and families. The Clinic for Low-Income Taxpayers represents low-income taxpayers in tax disputes. Armed Forces Legal Assistance – Find nearby military facilities with legal aid offices. Federally funded legal aid firms provide lawyers who are experts in helping low-income people with legal problems. Pro bono programs match low-income clients with pro bono lawyers who agree to take on their cases free of charge.
Free pro bono legal aid – Find free or low-income legal aid. Seniors Care Locator – Enter your postal code to find local offices for legal and senior care organizations. Colorado Legal Services (CLS), a nonprofit, has been helping low-income people, including Colorado seniors, for more than 90 years. Click here and on each button to learn more. Legal Assistance for Veterans – Find free legal clinics and other resources from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Colorado Farmworkers Project provides advocacy and legal representation to agricultural workers. You can also ask your local law society if they offer any of the following free services to people who need legal assistance: Many legal aid offices may be able to resolve other issues such as immigration, consumers, and disability issues. Some legal aid centres focus on one area of law, such as disability law or housing law. Some legal aid offices receive funding from the government, which may limit the type of cases they can accept. 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. If you can`t afford a lawyer, legal aid can help: Immigration Legal Services – Look for free legal service providers in your state. for persons in immigration procedures. * 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. Sometimes a legal aid office cannot accept a case because there are not enough legal aid lawyers available to provide assistance to all eligible people. However, in some communities, private lawyers volunteer their time to represent low-income clients free of charge and accept cases that the legal aid office cannot handle.
Click here for more information. If you are eligible, you can meet with a CLS lawyer in court or apply online at applyonlinecl.org to see if you qualify for assistance. Indebted? Need help managing your money? Do you understand your credit? Do you want to avoid identity theft? To learn more about your rights, click here. Colorado ID Project For citizens looking for ID and other documents.