Families are increasingly turning to legal aid to help them with difficult family law matters, such as divorce. This financial assistance provides free legal services to low-income individuals and families in many different types of situations. These services include: attorney referrals, brief services, and case analysis. Kayama, for example, is a non-profit organization that helps Jewish people get a “get,” a Jewish religious divorce. These organizations do not help with civil divorces, but they do provide free legal services to people in all 50 states and abroad.
Some services offered by legal aid organizations are limited scope representation, meaning that a lawyer helps you with certain parts of your case, such as filing for divorce. These attorneys can provide legal advice and review documents in family law cases, but they cannot represent you at the hearing. The benefits of this type of legal assistance are often more limited than those of hiring an attorney, so you may qualify for a limited representation plan or a limited fee. However, this is a good option for those who don’t have insurance or can’t afford a full-time attorney.
Another way to receive free legal assistance is to contact a legal aid office in your area. Legal aid offices are not-for-profit agencies that provide free legal services to those who cannot afford them. Many of them have income guidelines that are flexible. Whether you are facing a divorce, child custody case, or other family law issue, you can contact your local legal aid office or request an appointment with a legal aid lawyer. You can also ask a judge to appoint a legal aid lawyer in your case.
