Free Legal Help Resources

Free Legal Help Resources

If you are a senior citizen and can’t afford to pay an attorney, or your parents can’t afford to pay attorney fees, there are a variety of other resources available that offer free or low-cost legal help to seniors and people with modest means.

• Senior Legal Hotlines: There are 27 states including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico that offer senior legal hotlines, where all seniors over age 60 have access to free legal advice over the telephone. To find the states that offer this service and their toll free number visit legalhotlines.org.

• Legal Services for Elderly: Coordinated by the federal government’s Administration on Aging, this service may offer free or low-cost legal advice, legal assistance or access to legal representation to people over the age of 60. Call your Area Agency on Aging at 800-677-1116 to get your local number and find out what’s available in your community.

• Pro Bono programs: Usually sponsored by state or local bar associations, these programs help low-income people find volunteer lawyers who are willing to handle their cases for free. You can look for a pro bono program at lawhelp.org.

• Legal Aid: Directed by the Legal Services Corporation, legal aid offers free legal assistance to financially eligible people of all ages. Each community program will differ in the services they offer and income qualifications. See www.lsc.gov/map to locate a legal aid program in your area. Normally, there are specific requirements of proof of low income to qualify for this service. In some locations, the services of Legal Aid are available to persons over 65 regardless of income.

• AARP Legal Services Network: This service provides AARP members a free legal consultation (up to 45 minutes) with an attorney in your area along with discounts on other legal services you may need. To locate a lawyer near you, visit aarplsn.com or call 866-330-0753.

Other Important Information: The American Bar Association provides a listing of state resources on their website (findlegalhelp.org) to help you find legal assistance in your area. However, if you have the ability to pay for legal advice, you may be required to do so through some of the listed resources. Many legal services organizations use the Federal Poverty Guidelines, below, to determine eligibility.

Legal Services Corporation 2009 Poverty Guidelines^*

^* The figures in this table represent 125% of the poverty guidelines by family size as determined by the Department of Health and Human Services.