How To Obtain Free Legal Services

Congress established the Legal Services Corporation in 1974 to provide eligible Americans with free legal services. This doesn’t include offering such services to those who are involved in criminal cases though. In such cases a judge is responsible for appointing you an attorney who will defend you if you are unable to afford one yourself. Instead, the Legal Services Corporation is responsible for providing free legal services for civil cases. This has been beneficial to millions of Americans who otherwise would not have been able to afford legal assistance because of its prohibitive cost. So, how do you get this type of legal assistance when necessary?

You will need to call your local Federal Information Center and request free legal services. Whenever you reach an operator you’ll want to ask them for the telephone number to the LSC sponsored office that is located closest to you, which is the office from which you’ll be able to receive your free legal services. This information can also be obtained on the LSC website as well.

Once you have the telephone number that you need, you’ll want to call the LSC and ask to make an appointment with a lawyer in order to discuss whatever legal problem you may be having. The secretary or clerk who’s answering the phone may ask you to tell them about your income. This is done because there are certain income requirements in place and hence you are asked this question solely to determine whether or not you’re eligible for their services. Of course, you will need to provide them with documentation of your income whenever you do go in for your initial appointment.

Whenever you meet with a lawyer you’ll be able to present your case. It is vital that you follow all of your lawyer’s recommendations. This includes quickly providing him with any documents that he may need in order to help you with your legal issue. Failure to do so will be a waste of both your time and your attorney’s time as well.