If you live in Pennsylvania and need help with a legal matter, but can`t afford a lawyer, the following groups can help: Pro bono and free legal aid – Find free or low-income legal aid. We help all North Carolina residents, especially those living in extreme poverty, access government assistance, health care, housing, and secure jobs. Who is entitled to independent counsel? The Constitution guarantees free legal aid to persons accused of a crime punishable by imprisonment and who cannot afford a lawyer. If you find yourself in this situation, ask for the appointment of a public defender at your first court appearance. When a court decides that someone is « destitute » — with little wealth and no funds to pay for a lawyer — usually either a private attorney is appointed by the court and paid with district funds, or a public defense attorney program is appointed to represent the person. Some public defense programs are allowed to charge customers an « application fee, » though this is usually a small amount. What is a legal service/legal aid office? Legal aid firms, also known as legal aid offices, employ lawyers hired to provide legal assistance to poor clients. Lawyers are usually experts in the types of problems that poor clients most often face. Check out our link to the directory of Legal Services Corporation legal aid programs in your state. Special programs, legal options and other COVID-specific housing considerations. Legal counseling programs help people with non-criminal problems such as: You can also get information from MassLegalServices.org. This website is for legal lawyers, but you may find it useful, especially if you are going to a hearing alone.
– Track your progress on legal issues – Sign up to receive legal updates – Save legal transfer information in your profile Retirement Entitlement Center – Get free legal help with issues related to your pension, profit-sharing or retirement savings. If you have a civil law problem but can`t afford to hire a private lawyer, you can still access the legal system through your local legal advice and legal aid organization, which provides free or low-cost legal services to low-income people. Information on many of these local services can be found online at the websites listed below. What should I do if I don`t get free legal aid? If you can`t find help from a legal or pro bono aid program, some alternatives include contacting a legal placement service (some may be able to refer you to a low-fee lawyer) or hiring a lawyer to do only some of the legal work and other parts yourself (this is called « unbundled » legal services). You can also try to get legal information and try to solve the legal problem yourself. Please visit our section on other free resources for more information. Seniors Care Locator – Enter your postal code to find local offices for legal and senior care organizations. Legal aid is free legal aid for people who do not have a lot of money. Enter the postal code, city or county of the person who needs help. It`s best to enter the zip code, as many groups don`t serve the entire county.
If you`re searching by county, check each organization`s full description for the specific postal codes it serves. To qualify for legal aid, you must have a low income. In addition, your legal services program should help you resolve the legal problem. Legal aid programs have very little funding. You can only work on a small number of legal issues at a time. 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? » Start here with MassLegalHelp.org. We have information in clear, easy-to-understand language.
You can learn about many of the most common civil law issues, in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Russian, Haitian Creole and Chinese. They can help you understand your situation and take steps to resolve your problem. Legal information and resources that can help you and your family navigate COVID-19 issues. — Participation in focus groups — Access to IICLE(R) online library — Writing legal articles Use the Legal Resource Finder to find legal help in Massachusetts. You can find out if programs in your area are adding new customers. Massachusetts doesn`t have enough lawyers for everyone who needs legal help.
