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Legal Services

    Results: 33

  • Adult Protective Services (1)
    PH-6500.0500

    Adult Protective Services

    PH-6500.0500

    Social services programs that provide assistance for older adults, people with disabilities and other vulnerable individuals who are unable to act on their own behalf or manage their own affairs, or who are in immediate danger due to physical or emotional abuse, unsafe or hazardous living conditions, exploitation, neglect, self-neglect or abandonment. Included are APS programs that investigate cases of abuse, neglect or exploitation working closely with a wide variety of professionals including physicians, nurses, firefighters and law enforcement officers following receipt of a report from friends, neighbors or others concerned for their safety; and public and private guardianship/conservatorship programs that make provisions for people who have been judged to be incompetent by the court by assuming responsibility for the care and custody of the individuals and/or for the management of their estates.
  • Advance Medical Directives (1)
    FT-2700.0500

    Advance Medical Directives

    FT-2700.0500

    Programs that provide assistance for people who want to use the tools appropriate in their state to express their wishes regarding future medical treatment should they become incapacitated and/or to name the individual they would like to make health care decisions on their behalf. Included are programs that provide copies of necessary forms as well as those that help people complete them.
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution (2)
    FP-0700

    Alternative Dispute Resolution

    FP-0700

    Programs that offer procedures for settling disputes which serve as alternatives to a conventional court trial. ADR procedures are less costly than litigation, produce a settlement more quickly, allow for more flexibility, preserve relationships among parties, permit confidentiality and can produce solutions that are satisfactory to both parties rather than a winner and a loser.
  • Child Abuse Protective/Restraining Orders (2)
    FT-6940.1500

    Child Abuse Protective/Restraining Orders

    FT-6940.1500

    Programs that help minor children who are victims of abuse or their advocates (a parent, step-parent or legal guardian) obtain an order from the court which requires that the abuser (who may be a family member or someone outside the family) stay away from the child or face serious legal consequences. The abuser must avoid the child victim's residence or any place temporarily occupied by the child victim or both, and avoid contacting or causing any person other than a party's attorney to contact the child victim (unless the petitioner consents to that contact in writing and the judge agrees that the contact is in the best interests of the child).
  • Child Custody/Visitation Assistance (1)
    FT-3000.1500

    Child Custody/Visitation Assistance

    FT-3000.1500

    Programs that provide assistance for people who want to obtain custody of their children as a part of a divorce or separation action, who want to appeal all or a portion of the terms of a previous child custody decision, or in the case of a noncustodial parent, who want to establish or appeal the terms of a visitation award or a court-ordered visitation schedule. Included are programs that provide child custody/visitation assistance for people who are not legally married but have children together.
  • Child Support Assistance/Enforcement (1)
    FT-3000.1600

    Child Support Assistance/Enforcement

    FT-3000.1600

    Programs that provide assistance which helps to ensure that parents fulfill their mutual obligation to financially support and provide health care for their children. Included are services for people who want to locate an absent parent; establish paternity; establish a child support order; request that the non-custodial parent provide health insurance for a child in conjunction with a child support order; change the amount of a child support award; dispute a child support award; or enforce payment of child support monies in cases where the supporting parent is delinquent in paying or refuses to pay or make health insurance arrangements altogether. Child support is money paid by one parent to another for the maintenance, including the education, of their children following the dissolution of their marriage or other relationship. Non-custodial parents enrolled in an insurance plan at work may be required to include the child under this coverage while those not covered by any insurance plan may be required to obtain medical coverage, if available at a reasonable cost. Child support assistance/enforcement may be provided by private attorneys, legal clinics, family law facilitators' offices or child support enforcement programs which are available in all states, often as a component of the district attorney's office.
  • Comprehensive Family Law Services (1)
    FT-3000.1640

    Comprehensive Family Law Services

    FT-3000.1640

    Programs that provide information and advice, help with documents, legal counseling and/or representation and other forms of legal assistance which deal broadly with family law issues such as divorce and separation, child custody and access, and support payments rather than specializing in a particular issue that concerns relationships and rights within families.
  • Criminal Record Expungement Assistance (4)
    FT-2800.1500

    Criminal Record Expungement Assistance

    FT-2800.1500

    Programs that provide assistance for people who want to submit a petition requesting that the court order the official and formal sealing or erasure of records related to a particular criminal case maintained by police agencies at all levels, the prosecuting attorney's office, the office of the clerk of the court and/or agencies that are part of the criminal correctional system. Most jurisdictions have laws that permit, even mandate, the sealing or expungement of juvenile records as well as statutes that relate to adult records and the conditions under which they may be cleared.
  • Domestic Violence Protective/Restraining Orders (2)
    FT-6940.1900

    Domestic Violence Protective/Restraining Orders

    FT-6940.1900

    Programs that help adults obtain an order from the police or the courts that protects them from abuse or threats of abuse from a current or former spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend, someone they have a child with, someone they live with or someone they are related to through blood or marriage. Included are emergency protective orders that police can obtain from the court to provide immediate protection to an abused family member for five to seven days until an application for a temporary restraining order can be made in court; longer-term temporary restraining orders issued in civil court that forbid contact with the protected person until the propriety of granting a permanent injunction can be evaluated; permanent or after-hearing restraining orders that make a short-term injunction granted in the temporary restraining order permanent (or specify the amount of time they will remain in effect); and criminal temporary protective orders which apply in situations where an abusive individual has been arrested and faces trial.
  • Domestic/Family Violence Legal Services (3)
    FT-3000.1750

    Domestic/Family Violence Legal Services

    FT-3000.1750

    Programs that provide information and guidance and/or representation in court proceedings for individuals who have been abused in an intimate relationship and/or for people who are facing a summary conviction offence or criminal charge for perpetrating abuse. Included are domestic violence law clinics and other legal assistance programs that represent victims of domestic abuse at restraining order hearings or in other civil or criminal actions involving charges against an abuser. Most also represent the person's interests in complexities that arise as part of the legal process such as restitution, payment of debts or child support, custody and visitation and property control. Some programs may also represent victims of domestic abuse who have been charged with a crime and/or handle cases involving accusations of child abuse filed by one parent against the other, abuse of an elderly person by an adult child or abuse of an adult child by a parent.
  • Education Discrimination Assistance (2)
    FT-1800.1800

    Education Discrimination Assistance

    FT-1800.1800

    Programs that provide assistance for people who believe they have been denied equal access to student loans or scholarships, or to educational programs at preschool, elementary, secondary, vocational, postsecondary, postgraduate or professional school levels based on their age, gender, race or ethnic origin, nationality, religion, disability, sexual orientation or marital status.
  • Elder Law (1)
    FT-2450

    Elder Law

    FT-2450

    Programs that provide information and guidance for individuals who need assistance in the area of law which relates to the rights and needs of older adults, especially in the areas of age discrimination, consumer fraud, estate planning and management, living trusts, trust administration, probate, property law, retirement planning, pension benefits, Social Security benefits, Medicaid and Medicare, disability planning, long-term care alternatives, health care decisions, elder abuse, guardianships and conservatorships.
  • Eviction Prevention Legal Assistance (5)
    FT-4500.1800

    Eviction Prevention Legal Assistance

    FT-4500.1800

    Programs that provide assistance for people are being evicted, either wrongfully or with reason, from their apartments or other rental property. Also included are programs that attempt to prevent eviction and possible homelessness by providing mediation services to negotiate a compromise between an individual and the landlord.
  • Foreclosure Prevention Loan Modification/Refinancing Programs (1)
    BH-3500.3400-300

    Foreclosure Prevention Loan Modification/Refinancing Programs

    BH-3500.3400-300

    Programs available through the federal government, state housing agencies or directly from financial institutions that offer fixed rate mortgages, bridge loans or other types of mortgage services primarily for homeowners who cannot afford their current loan, are at risk for default and foreclosure and have the capacity to make the new payment in a timely manner or who owe more than their property is currently worth. The loans help borrowers refinance their mortgage into a payment they can afford, modify the terms and conditions of their current loan or reinstate a delinquent loan; and may involve a reduction in principal if the lending institution is willing to write down the loan or a reduction in the balance in a second lien in some situations. Some loans may be forgiven after a designated number of years or only become due and payable if the property is sold, refinanced or no longer owner-occupied. Most of these programs are time limited and apply only to primary residences. Applicant homeowners may be required to prove economic hardship and demonstrate that they meet income and other guidelines.
  • Foster Care Legal Services (1)
    FT-3000.2100

    Foster Care Legal Services

    FT-3000.2100

    Programs that provide legal assistance for children and youth in foster care, children for whom parental rights have been terminated ("legal orphans" for whom the state is now the parent), youth transitioning into adulthood and others who have contact with the foster care system that informs them of their rights, helps them understand their options and enables them to have a voice in decisions about where they live, their health care, their education, their basic needs and other critical issues.
  • General Benefits Assistance (12)
    FT-1000.2500

    General Benefits Assistance

    FT-1000.2500

    Programs that focus broadly on helping individuals who are having difficulty understanding and/or obtaining grants, payments, services or other benefits for which they are eligible rather than offering more specialized services relating to a particular type of benefit.
  • General Legal Aid (9)
    FT-3200

    General Legal Aid

    FT-3200

    Programs that provide legal counseling and/or representation for low-income individuals who need assistance in routine legal matters, usually in the area of bankruptcy, housing, public benefits, family law, elder law or immigration/naturalization.
  • Housing Discrimination Assistance (6)
    FT-1800.3000

    Housing Discrimination Assistance

    FT-1800.3000

    Programs that provide assistance for people who believe that they have been denied an opportunity to purchase, lease or rent the home or apartment of their choice due to their age, gender, family composition (including families with children under the age of 18 and pregnant women), race or color, nationality, religion, disability, sexual orientation or marital status, actions that are prohibited by the federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 and the federal Fair Housing Act Amendments Act of 1988 in the U.S. Federal fair housing law also extends limited protection to recovering alcoholics who actively and regularly participate in a medically based treatment or AA program, and people with a drug use disorder including those who have prior convictions for illegal drug use (but not for drug dealing or manufacture). Assistance may also be available to other individuals who are protected from housing discrimination by state or local laws with a broader set of protected categories, or which cover properties that are exempt from federal fair housing laws but are protected under state law.
  • Immigration/Naturalization Legal Services (7)
    FT-3600

    Immigration/Naturalization Legal Services

    FT-3600

    Programs that provide legal assistance for immigrants, nonimmigrant visa applicants, asylum seekers and lawful permanent residents who are seeking naturalization. Services are generally provided by nonprofit immigration law offices and may involve information and consultation about benefits under immigration law including procedures for obtaining student, visitor and employment-based visas; family immigration; asylee status; lawful permanent residence status; or citizenship.
  • Labor and Employment Law (2)
    FT-4150

    Labor and Employment Law

    FT-4150

    Programs that provide legal assistance for people who want to establish employment practices for their organization that will minimize or eliminate problems in the employment area or who need to resolve a dispute or initiate or respond to litigation which relates to their role as employers or employees, their rights and obligations. Labor and employment law deals with a variety of issues including ADA compliance, wage and hour compliance, workplace health and safety, interview and hiring practices, employee contracts, employee benefits, maternity/paternity leaves, medical leaves, supervision and discipline, workplace privacy, workplace violence, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, and worker's compensation cases as well as protection from a range of employer-committed crimes including wage theft, deliberate worker misclassification, evasion of unemployment and workers' compensation laws, labor trafficking, defamation including false statements by an employer during or after the firing process, violation of state laws related to whistleblower protections or other relevant statutes.
  • Landlord/Tenant Dispute Resolution (6)
    FT-4500.4600

    Landlord/Tenant Dispute Resolution

    FT-4500.4600

    Programs that help tenants and landlords resolve disputes regarding security and other rental deposits, unsanitary conditions, failure to make repairs, privacy, notice requirements, excessive rent increases, nonpayment of rent, neglect or damage to property, overcrowding or other grievances.
  • Lawyer Referral Services (4)
    FT-4800

    Lawyer Referral Services

    FT-4800

    Programs that maintain lists of private attorneys and link people who need legal assistance with lawyers who specialize in the required area of law.
  • Legal Associations (1)
    TN-4600

    Legal Associations

    TN-4600

    Organizations whose members are lawyers, judges or other legal professionals who have affiliated for the purpose of promoting mutual interests, participating in legal seminars and conferences, networking with their peers, subscribing to legal journals and other publications, and taking advantage of other opportunities for professional development. Many legal associations offer assistance to members who have management or financial problems that relate to their practices, set standards which relate to the qualifications and performance of members, accept and investigate complaints from the public regarding the practices of members and maintain lawyer referral services through which citizens who require legal assistance are referred to member attorneys.
  • Legal Counseling (3)
    FP-4000

    Legal Counseling

    FP-4000

    Programs that are staffed by lawyers who offer information and guidance regarding legal matters, proposed lines of conduct, claims or contentions including opinions on the party's rights, responsibilities and liabilities; and who offer suggestions for an appropriate course of action, but do not represent clients in court.
  • Legal Information Services (3)
    TJ-3200.4500

    Legal Information Services

    TJ-3200.4500

    Programs that provide information about specific legal problems and procedures that interested individuals can access on a website or in person, or by telephone, email, chat, text or other communication channel. Information may be in a self-serve, browsable format (for example a web resource directory or library of audio recordings) or provided by live agents with expertise in the field. Also included are legal aid services, bar associations and other programs that provide basic information about family law, landlord/tenant law, immigration law, consumer law, elder law, patient rights, the rights of persons with disabilities, the criminal justice system, the civil court system and other legal topics via workshops, classes, speaking engagements, printed materials, video tutorials, websites and other similar educational avenues.
  • Long Term Care Ombudsman Programs (2)
    FT-4950

    Long Term Care Ombudsman Programs

    FT-4950

    Programs that investigate and attempt to resolve complaints made by or on behalf of residents of nursing facilities, residential care homes, assisted living facilities and other supervised living facilities for older adults. The program also promotes policies and practices that improve the quality of life, health, safety, welfare and rights of residents; monitors laws, regulations and policies that affect those who live in long-term care facilities; provides the public with information about long-term care options; and promotes the development of consumer organizations concerned about long-term care. Under the federal Older Americans Act, every state is required to have an Ombudsman Program that addresses complaints and advocates for improvements in the long term care system.
  • Neighborhood Dispute Resolution Services (2)
    FT-5970

    Neighborhood Dispute Resolution Services

    FT-5970

    Mediation centers in local neighborhoods that help to resolve problems between residents that relate to issues such as noise, the behavior of pets and children, visual eyesores (e.g., trash, unkempt lawns, offensive signs) and property boundary disputes. When disputes between neighbors over nuisance related items can be resolved through alternative methods such as mediation, the local government does not have to become involved with a formal complaint investigation and remediation process.
  • Patient Rights Assistance (2)
    FT-6200

    Patient Rights Assistance

    FT-6200

    Programs that provide information, education, advocacy and/or other forms of legal assistance which relate to the rights of people who are patients in a health or mental health care facility, who are residents of convalescent or other long or short-term care facilities including adult residential care homes, or who are incapacitated and are being cared for at home by family members. Services may also be available to significant others of these individuals.
  • Tax Foreclosure Assistance (3)
    DM-1800.8500

    Tax Foreclosure Assistance

    DM-1800.8500

    Programs that provide assistance for people who are unable to make their property tax payments and at risk of losing their homes through tax foreclosure.
  • Tenant Rights Information/Counseling (7)
    FT-4500.8550

    Tenant Rights Information/Counseling

    FT-4500.8550

    Programs that provide information and guidance for tenants who need to know their rights and responsibilities regarding leases and rental agreements, deposits, legal eviction procedures, measures to protect themselves from unlawful or retaliatory evictions, rent withholding rights, rent control requirements, privacy rights and other issues that may be of particular interest to tenants. Tenant rights counseling may also include assistance in completing forms, advice regarding a particular dispute and contact with the offending landlord to provide notification that she or he is not in compliance with landlord/tenant laws.
  • Veteran Benefits Assistance (5)
    FT-1000.9000

    Veteran Benefits Assistance

    FT-1000.9000

    Programs that provide assistance for veterans who are having difficulty understanding and/or obtaining the full benefits and services to which they are entitled by law based on service to their country. The programs may help veterans understand the eligibility criteria for benefits, the benefits provided by the program, the payment process and the rights of beneficiaries; provide consultation and advice; help them complete benefits application forms; negotiate on their behalf with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs staff; and/or represent them in administrative processes or judicial litigation. Included are Veteran Services Officers (VSOs) who are trained and accredited by the Veteran's Administration (VA) and can be found in offices specific to each state, the county courthouse, the local VA office and local veteran's rights organizations; as well as legal aid programs that offer more formalized legal assistance.
  • Welfare Rights Assistance (2)
    FT-1000.9500

    Welfare Rights Assistance

    FT-1000.9500

    Programs that provide assistance for prospective or current public financial assistance recipients who are having difficulty understanding and/or obtaining the full benefits to which they are entitled by law under various income support entitlement programs. The programs may help people understand the eligibility criteria for benefits, how much they can work without affecting their benefits (for some programs), the benefits provided by the program, the payment process and the rights of beneficiaries; provide consultation and advice; help them complete benefits application forms; negotiate on their behalf with public assistance benefits staff; and/or represent them in administrative hearings or judicial litigation. Included are welfare rights organizations that offer a range of advocacy services as well as legal aid programs that offer more formalized legal assistance. Entitlement programs include (but are not limited to) General Relief (GR), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Food Stamps/SNAP, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
  • Workers Compensation Benefits Assistance (1)
    FT-1000.9700

    Workers Compensation Benefits Assistance

    FT-1000.9700

    Programs that provide assistance for people who are having difficulty understanding and/or obtaining the full benefits to which they are entitled by law under state Workers Compensation statutes. The programs may help people understand the eligibility criteria for Workers Compensation benefits, the benefits provided by the program, and the rights of beneficiaries; provide consultation and advice; help them complete Workers Compensation application forms; negotiate on their behalf with Workers Compensation benefits staff; and/or represent them in administrative hearings or judicial litigation. Included are organizations that offer a range of advocacy services as well as legal aid programs which offer more formalized legal assistance. Workers Compensation is a disability insurance program mandated by the state and funded by employer contributions which provides compensation to covered employees for loss of their earnings as a result of an accidental injury or occupational disease sustained during employment, or which compensates dependents in case of a work-related death.