Legal Aid Services FAQ
Legal aid is a term used to describe an array of services provided by nonprofit organizations to help people who cannot afford a lawyer. The main purpose of legal aid is to assist those who have low incomes and cannot afford to hire an attorney for themselves in order to meet their legal needs. The vast majority of people who need legal assistance face legal issues in areas related to housing, family issues, domestic violence, immigration, or education—these are almost always areas of the law that have strict deadlines and timelines and require timely advice from a legal professional.
Because the legal system does not provide for appointed counsel in civil cases, and how to hire a lawyer and pay for legal services is often counterintuitive and confusing, legal aid organizations work to provide information on frequently asked legal questions to help prepare a person needing legal assistance to address their problem swiftly and efficiently.
For individuals in financial need , legal aid organizations can help reduce potential barriers in access to legal help, such as:
Typically, legal aid organizations provide general legal information, short-term advice on a specific legal issue and, in some cases, limited assistance in such matters as drafting letters or pleadings or filling out forms. Legal aid does not typically represent clients in court. When legal aid is not a viable option, legal aid organizations may be able to assist in generating volunteer lawyers who will take on the legal matter pro bono (free of charge). Working pro bono is a requirement for all Washington State lawyers, and this is one way that legal aid organizations work with local volunteer lawyers in order to fulfill the mission of ensuring access to legal assistance to all people in their community.
Legal Aid Organizations in Longview, Washington
Legal aids are nonprofit organizations designed to assist low-income individuals and families with civil legal matters. Legal aid organizations in Longview, Washington strive to serve the community by providing access to justice for low and moderate-income people who have nowhere else to turn. KLALC, also known as Cowlitz County Legal Aid, is a nonprofit law office based in Longview, Washington. Legal Aid of the Lower Columbia (KLALC) helps low-income individuals and families in the areas of family law, housing law, civil litigation, consumer issues, and domestic violence. More about KLALC and the programs it offers to the community and beyond can be found on its site, klalc.org. Greater Portland Metro is another legal aid organization in the Longview area. This organization also serves Clark and Skamania counties. Greater Portland Metro provides resources for attorneys, legal professionals, and the public. Individuals can apply online for free assistance from attorneys throughout the Portland metro area. Northwest Justice Project (NJP) is a statewide nonprofit legal aid organization dedicated to ensuring that low and moderate-income communities throughout Washington have equal access to justice. Individuals can apply online for help with legal matters.
Am I Eligible for Longview’s Legal Aid Services?
Eligibility criteria for legal aid services in Longview, WA are generally guided by income and case types. The core principle of legal aid is to provide representation for those who cannot afford an attorney, while also not wasting taxpayer funds on cases most citizens would agree are not important to have a layer of lawyering. Legal aid services are typically based on income at or below 125% of the federal poverty guideline, which is $15,625 per year for a single person. For each additional family member, the income limit increases by $5,625 per person.
Legal aid is not available for clients who have the means to hire an attorney. This is a de minimis standard that looks at the income, the value of assets, and an analysis of the case’s merits to make a determination on whether the client should be treated as indigent. An analogy would be the safety net for needy families. These surveys apply to support that is intended to be temporary, to families who demonstrate the likelihood to move to self-sufficiency. An exception to the indigent standard is in Domestic Relations cases, which will pay for representation regardless of the parties being indigent or not.
The types of cases represented by legal aid include family law, housing, public benefits, consumer, domestic violence, and probate. Legal aid does not represent clients in civil matters involving businesses, utilities, landlord-tenant disputes, personal injury, civil rights, and monetary damages, unless the case affects the entire group of people residing in a specific geographical area. Types of cases that are not accepted by legal aid are those that involve amounts of money over $10,000.
Types of Cases Longview Legal Aid Can Handle
Legal aid services in Longview, WA can assist with a variety of different issues. Some of the most common practice areas they serve include:
Family law
Family law issues typically encompass any legal matters that relate to family and domestic issues. This may include everything from divorce to adoption to custody arrangements. Legal aid organizations help people who are unable to afford attorneys by assessing their case and determining whether it is eligible for legal aid services. Items that qualifying legal aid cases might involve includes legal guardianship or conservatorship (to ensure a person’s affairs are properly handled), child support, parenting plans, child custody, domestic abuse and spousal support.
Housing
Housing is a critical area of assistance that legal aid organizations provide. When looking at these organizations, it’s important to find one that specifically handles housing matters. Washington has several options in this regard, including tenants’ union groups, low-income housing associations, and legal aid for defunct or dangerous housing. Many legal aid services assist those who are trying to gain access to housing resources, such as veterans’ housing groups, public housing and housing assistance programs.
More serious legal issues might be addressed through housing resources such as tenant eviction attorney services. The Washington Low-Income Housing Alliance (WLIHA), with offices in Seattle, Olympia and Spokane, has had a hand in qualifying and distributing 11,000-plus Section 8 housing vouchers throughout the state and 32,000 for people who have been homeless, who are low-income or who have special needs.
Employment
Employment law cases handled by legal aid services might include wrongful termination or retaliation, wage-related issues such as failure to pay, minimum wage disputes, discrimination and various unemployment issues such as denials of unemployment benefits or threatening letters from employers. Legal aid employment lawyers can review your situation and conduct a thorough analysis of the issue to determine if you qualify for assistance. For example, because Washington state doesn’t have family medical leave, exceptions are used by legal aid organizations for employees who need to take time off from work due to pregnancy, lactation or childbirth.
Applying for Longview Legal Aid
Applying for legal aid services involves a structured process to assess your eligibility and determine the best service to meet your needs. To initially qualify, you’ll usually be required to provide specific documentation about your financial situation, including details on all your income sources and assets.
Here is a step-by-step guide to the application process for legal aid services:
- – Self-assessment: It’s recommended that you first evaluate whether your case is appropriate for legal aid. For instance, if you believe you have a strong case for personal injury or medical malpractice, hiring a private attorney may be a better option, as you’d likely have a beneficial contingency fee arrangement. It’s also wise to consider if there are any certain issues being addressed by the legal matter that are especially important to you.
- – Collecting information: When you contact a legal aid service, you’ll likely be asked to provide your name, address, telephone number and email address, as well as the type of assistance you’re looking for. You may also need the names of the opposing parties. If you have a deadline associated with your case, such as a filing date or response date, it’s important that you let the legal aid organization know about this as well.
- – Required documentation: You’ll need to document all your income sources and the amounts you make, including pay stubs, unemployment payments, public assistance checks, trust fund distributions and social security benefits . This also includes any business income, so if you’re self-employed or contracted, you’ll need information on your bank transactions.
It’s likely that legal aid services will ask for three months of financial data, so you’ll need to provide documentation for all transactions made within the past three months. You’ll also need bank statements for your checking and savings accounts, and check stubs if they are issued.
Make sure that you disclose all of your assets in your application. If you have an applied value to your home, as many homeowners do, include that amount. You’ll also need to disclose the value of your cars, bank accounts, businesses and valuable collectibles like coins, antiques and jewelry.
Finally, gather information about your living expenses. You’ll need to know how much you spend on rent or a mortgage, utilities, groceries and all other miscellaneous items. This information is important because legal aid services calculate your monthly expenses in determining your eligibility.
Step 4 – Abide by limitations: Some legal aid organizations have caps on the amount of income and assets you can have, while other states have legal aid programs that only focus on specific types of cases. For example, some programs are strictly for criminal defense. Evaluating the suitability of your case beforehand helps to eliminate wasted time in the application process.
Step 5 – Wait for a reply: When you’ve submitted your application, you will be informed of your eligibility and whether the organization can help you. If you are eligible, you should be contacted with an offer of service within a few weeks.
Legal Aid Alternatives in Longview, WA
If you have non-criminal legal needs, there are alternatives to legal aid. Pro bono services provide legal assistance at no-charge or reduced rate by lawyers and law firms. Pro bono work is voluntary, however, and available on a case-to-case basis. You may check with local Longview division of the Cowlitz County Bar Association to learn if any available attorneys provide volunteer legal services.
There are also legal aid clinics, where you can receive legal advice. There are no income requirements to attend a legal aid clinic. While there are no eligibility requirements, it is recommended that you review if you qualify for legal aid services before attending. Be sure to a bring a copy of paperwork related to your legal questions as it can help the attending legal professional determine if you can be helped.
Another alternative for legal aid is sliding-scale legal fees. Some private attorneys may charge based on your ability-to-pay. Usually, a sliding-scale fee structure is reserved to those who are unable to pay attorney fees or filing fees due to financial hardship.
Legal Aid Success Stories in Longview, Washington
There are many residents of Longview who have experienced the positive impact of legal aid services in the area, successfully resolving their legal challenges and moving forward with their lives. One such individual is Jennifer, a single mother of two children, who was facing eviction from her rental home due to an unpaid rent balance. Jennifer was uncertain of what to do when she received a notice on her door, but through the guidance of a legal aid attorney, she was able to respond to the notice and defend her rights as a tenant.
Another success story concerns a recent veteran who was in need of assistance with navigating filing a VA disability claim . After years of service, he found himself facing ongoing challenges related to serving his country, and the legal aid clinic in Longview was able to assist him with drafting the legal documents and providing educational resources specific to veterans’ claims.
In both of the above examples, the individuals involved testified to how legal aid assistance helped them understand their options, provided much needed direction, and helped them successfully navigate a difficult legal situation. Many of the testimonials received from clients center on how the professional legal guidance provided by legal aid attorneys relieved the stress associated with a legal challenge, and empowered them to take control of their future.
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