Cases We DO Handle

Thousands of people with legal problems are eligible for Legal Aid. But we do not have enough lawyers to handle them all.

Here are the most frequent types of cases that Legal Aid offices in West Virginia handle:

Family Law:

• Protection from Domestic Violence. LAWV represents victims of domestic violence and abuse trying to get protection orders.
• Contested Family Law cases defending child custody. Sometimes a custody case is filed against the parent who has been taking care of the children. Legal Aid may get involved in cases where the other side has a lawyer to help the parent who has been the “primary caretaker” for the children.
• Other Family Law cases where violence or abuse is involved. LAWV represents victims of violence or domestic abuse in other types of Family Law cases also. For example: divorce, separation, or modification of previous court orders. We may also represent people trying to protect children from abuse or neglect, even if the person does not have custody. But if there has not been any violence or abuse, Legal Aid probably will not handle these other types of Family Law cases.

Landlord-Tenant & Housing Law:

• Evictions
• Denial of applications for eligibility
• Disputes with housing authorities
• Return of security deposit (usually advice only)
• Unsafe or unhealthy conditions in rental premises
• Installment land sales contracts. When seller of land under “rent-to-own” contract breaks the agreement.

Government Benefits Cases:

• Food Stamps
• Medicaid cases in general, and these special types of Medicaid cases in particular:
• Medicaid Spend Down Program
• Medicaid coverage of nursing home costs
• Aged & Disabled Medicaid Waiver Program (AD Waiver)
• Mental Retardation/Developmental Disability Medicaid Waiver Program (MR/DD Waiver)
• TANF (this is one of the WV DHHR cash assistance welfare programs)
• WV Works (this is another WV DHHR cash assistance welfare program)
• Unemployment Compensation
• SSI (Supplemental Security Income)
• Social Security Disability (in some situations)

Consumer Bankruptcy Cases:

• We can help you decide whether a bankruptcy is a good step for you. If a bankruptcy is a good idea and you have an appropriate case, we offer a "clinic" to teach you how to file and complete your own bankruptcy case. We usually will not directly represent you in a Bankruptcy case.

It is impossible to list every type of case we might take. Depending on the circumstances and need, there may be many other types of cases we may handle in exceptional situations. Contact your local Legal Aid office if you have a case not shown here. That’s the only way to be sure whether Legal Aid can help or not.

Contact your local Legal Aid office (click here for a state map to find the nearest office) to find out whether Legal Aid can help with your case.

If we don't handle your type of case, there may be information in the Law Library section of this web site that can help you.     Click Here! to go to the Law Library