Cases We DO NOT Handle

Thousands of people with legal problems are eligible for Legal Aid. But we do not have enough lawyers to handle them. Every day Legal Aid has to turn down even valid legal cases.

We want to take cases that have the most important effects on people's lives. We turn down cases that have less significant effect on you or your family. Here are some examples of cases we usually do not handle:

• Automobile accident cases. (If it is a "good case" then a private lawyer will usually take it without requiring you to pay a fee in advance.)
• Personal injury cases. (If it is a "good case" then a private lawyer will usually take it without requiring you to pay a fee in advance.)
• Worker's Compensation cases. (If it is a "good case" then a private lawyer will usually take it without requiring you to pay a fee in advance.)
• Criminal cases. Federal law prohibits Legal Aid from doing criminal cases.
• Name changes. (Unless the change of name is needed for safety from domestic violence, or affects other important considerations.)
• Property boundary-line disputes. (Unless the dispute affects your right to get to your home.)

Of course it is impossible to list all the kinds of cases that people bring to Legal Aid. We will handle some of them; we will not handle others.

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

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