How to Get Help for Financial Hardship Legal Issues
Locate your nearest Legal Services office., Find out what types of cases are taken., Fill out an application., Provide necessary financial documents or information., Meet with your attorney.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Locate your nearest Legal Services office.
Legal Services Corporation provides free legal assistance to low-income individuals nationwide.You can find information about Legal Services and other free or reduced-cost legal assistance by clicking your state on the American Bar Association's map, available at https://apps.americanbar.org/legalservices/findlegalhelp/home.cfm. -
Step 2: Find out what types of cases are taken.
Different legal services or legal aid offices may take different kinds of cases depending on the interests and expertise of the lawyers on staff at that location.Legal aid offices tend to have smaller staffs and operate on shoestring budgets, so they often don't have the resources to serve everyone in need.
Most commonly, legal aid offices help low-income clients who have legal problems related to family law, consumer law, public benefits, and housing.
These areas include divorce and child custody, bankruptcy or wage garnishment, eviction, and denial of benefits such as unemployment or food stamps., Your application includes basic information about you and your legal issue as well as details about your financial situation.So the lawyers can avoid conflicts of interest, you will be asked questions both about yourself and about the person or company that is causing you legal problems.
If the same office is already representing the other party, it typically won't be able to assist you.
If you go to the office, you typically will be interviewed by a client intake specialist who will review your application information and assess your eligibility.
Some offices also allow you to conduct this interview over the phone.
Some states also have an online interview you can take at your convenience, which will assess your needs and determine whether you qualify for legal aid and what services are available to you., Depending on your financial situation, you may be asked to provide pay stubs or bank account statements to prove your financial need.Legal aid offices typically only provide assistance to clients whose income is less than 125 percent of the federal poverty level.
Generally, this means if there are two people in your household, your combined income must be less than $19,913. , If your application is approved, your case will be assigned to an attorney who will represent you.Typically the attorney will call you and arrange an appointment.
If you have privacy issues or need to avoid anyone who shares your phone finding out that you've contacted an attorney, put that on your application so the attorney knows.
If the attorney asks for documents or other information related to your case, make sure you have everything ready when you go to your first appointment. -
Step 3: Fill out an application.
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Step 4: Provide necessary financial documents or information.
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Step 5: Meet with your attorney.
Detailed Guide
Legal Services Corporation provides free legal assistance to low-income individuals nationwide.You can find information about Legal Services and other free or reduced-cost legal assistance by clicking your state on the American Bar Association's map, available at https://apps.americanbar.org/legalservices/findlegalhelp/home.cfm.
Different legal services or legal aid offices may take different kinds of cases depending on the interests and expertise of the lawyers on staff at that location.Legal aid offices tend to have smaller staffs and operate on shoestring budgets, so they often don't have the resources to serve everyone in need.
Most commonly, legal aid offices help low-income clients who have legal problems related to family law, consumer law, public benefits, and housing.
These areas include divorce and child custody, bankruptcy or wage garnishment, eviction, and denial of benefits such as unemployment or food stamps., Your application includes basic information about you and your legal issue as well as details about your financial situation.So the lawyers can avoid conflicts of interest, you will be asked questions both about yourself and about the person or company that is causing you legal problems.
If the same office is already representing the other party, it typically won't be able to assist you.
If you go to the office, you typically will be interviewed by a client intake specialist who will review your application information and assess your eligibility.
Some offices also allow you to conduct this interview over the phone.
Some states also have an online interview you can take at your convenience, which will assess your needs and determine whether you qualify for legal aid and what services are available to you., Depending on your financial situation, you may be asked to provide pay stubs or bank account statements to prove your financial need.Legal aid offices typically only provide assistance to clients whose income is less than 125 percent of the federal poverty level.
Generally, this means if there are two people in your household, your combined income must be less than $19,913. , If your application is approved, your case will be assigned to an attorney who will represent you.Typically the attorney will call you and arrange an appointment.
If you have privacy issues or need to avoid anyone who shares your phone finding out that you've contacted an attorney, put that on your application so the attorney knows.
If the attorney asks for documents or other information related to your case, make sure you have everything ready when you go to your first appointment.
About the Author
Robert Allen
Experienced content creator specializing in lifestyle guides and tutorials.
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