The Importance of Having Access to No-Cost Legal Advice
Like other cities across the country, Fort Wayne, Indiana has a legal system in place to provide residents with the information and legal advice they need. Every year, thousands of people deal with legal issues, such as divorce, criminal charges, debt collections, or wills. Most of these legal issues are relatively straightforward, and can be handled by someone with assistance from the courts or legal counsel. However, when those people do not have the financial means to hire a lawyer to assist them, the problem can quickly become much more complicated than it needs to be.
For example, the people in Fort Wayne with financial problems may deal with creditor harassment, foreclosure on their home, or other legal issues that can make their lives difficult . Without the means to pay a financial advisor, many times they turn to the local courts to allow them to represent themselves. Most of the time that is not a problem, and those untraditional advocates are called "pro se litigants."
But that is an option that is not available to everyone. For low-income families and individuals, hiring a financial counselor or lawyer can quickly become a financial burden, and one that could bring on more financial problems. Therefore free legal advice is needed.
That is just one example of why it is so important to have access to legal advice. Legal advice is also important in areas of family law, criminal law, housing law, immigration, or even personal injury cases. With today’s struggling economy, the need for legal assistance from the courts is certain to continue.
Community Resources Providing Free Legal Assistance
There are several organizations in Fort Wayne which offer free legal assistance to those who may need it. For those who are unable to afford a lawyer or simply wish to work with a volunteer, these legal aid organizations may be able to help you.
AARP Legal Counsel for the Elderly
Senior citizens, ages 60 and over, may apply for free assistance from legal volunteers through AARP’s Legal Counsel for the Elderly program. Common areas of assistance include power of attorney, legal guardianship, retirement issues, social security, Medicaid, Medicare, elder abuse, financial exploitation, taxes, wills, living trusts, durable powers of attorney, and advance medical directives. Volunteers can only take a limited number of cases, so seniors should apply as soon as they need assistance. For more information, call 1-202-434-2120 or 1-202-434-2247.
Legal Aid of Northwest Indiana
Legal Aid of Northwest Indiana provides free civil legal assistance to families who cannot afford an attorney. They work with volunteers in Elkhart, LaPorte, Porter, St. Joseph and Starke counties. This organization is in need of volunteers. Those who qualify for assistance have a household income less than 125 percent of the federal poverty level, have a household member who is elderly, disabled, or a child, have a private attorney, a pending legal matter, and do not have a conflicts of interest with the local Legal Aid office.
Northeast Indiana Volunteer Lawyers Program
The Northeast Indiana Volunteer Lawyers Program (NIVLP) is a non-profit organization which offers pro bono legal services to individuals in need, who are not represented by an attorney and who are faced with non-criminal legal matters. The types of cases the program accepts include family law, guardianship, consumer or medical debt, housing, expungement, unemployment compensation appeals, and more. The Income Eligibility Guidelines to qualify for this legal service are based upon the Federal Poverty Guidelines and vary depending on your household size. The eligibility cutoffs for the Northern District of Indiana for 2017 are: To apply for legal assistance, visit their site.
Qualifications for Obtaining Free Legal Aid
In Fort Wayne, Indiana, the availability of free legal advice is often contingent upon specific eligibility criteria set by the legal aid organization. Typically, the primary criterion is income, as these services aim to assist those who cannot afford legal representation. The federal government may establish guidelines for mean income, which are adjusted annually. Your household’s annual income must fall below this threshold to qualify.
Other factors that might determine eligibility include household size and types of cases the legal aid organization chooses to cover. For instance, some organizations provide legal help only to low-income seniors or veterans, while others may cover more specific needs, such as immigration, family law, or consumer issues. In general, nonprofit legal aid societies are confined to provide assistance in civil cases, which are disputes between individuals or organizations, such as divorce or estate management, rather than criminal cases.
To determine whether you qualify for free legal advice in Fort Wayne, Indiana, you will usually need to fill out an application or questionnaire asking for information on your financial situation and specific legal issue for which you require assistance.
Tips on Preparing for a Free Legal Meeting
In order to get the most out of your free consultation, there are a few things you can do to prepare for the meeting. Whether you are going to a nonprofit organization (like Legal Aid), legal clinic (like a law school clinic or local bar association), or private attorney offering free initial consultation, do not be afraid to ask for guidance on what information they would like you to bring with you. You may also receive welcoming forms to fill out, as well as information about information you may want to bring.
In advance of any legal help, take time to reflect on your case and prepare a list of the most important issues to cover during your initial consultation. Come prepared to provide a simple overview of your case or situation, without going too far into details. This will save you time and get the meeting off to a good start . You will also want to think about your goals and provide your own list of questions for the attorney or support staff at the organization you’re visiting:
If you have done any of your own research, provide an outline of your findings.
If you have already filed for divorce or filed a protective order, bring your copy of the court documents.
Any paperwork you’ve received from your creditor or lender will be helpful.
If you filed for bankruptcy in the past, or consulted a bankruptcy attorney, bring that information to your appointment.
Bring any papers you’ve signed or applications for benefits you’ve submitted. Examples: disability application, food assistance application, housing assistance application.
If you have not recently moved (in the past 3 months) and you have a valid driver’s license, bring the license. If your license is expired, bring your identification card.
If your license has been suspended after receiving a ticket for drunk driving, you should print and complete this form before visiting.
Web-Based Sources for Free Legal Guidance
For those who may prefer or require legal assistance outside of the more traditional avenues – or for those living in areas without a legal aid office – there are several online resources that you can tap to access free legal advice. Again, these resources are limited, and you may find that you schedule may be too limited to be truly useful. The Indiana Legal Help website is a one-stop resource for a number of online legal resources in the Fort Wayne area – and all across the state. This includes: the Indiana Guide and File, a tool that allows you to create court forms based around questions about your case; Indiana Free Legal Answers, where you can ask, and receive answers to, a variety of legal questions about civil matters from volunteer Indiana attorneys, and PublicAccess.fyi, a state service where you can have an attorney review your forms and pleadings before you file them with the court. If you’re looking for specific answers to Indiana law-based question, the Indiana Bar Association’s Lawyer Finder Tool is an excellent option. An attorney referral tool, Lawyer Finder helps to match residents with. local attorneys who are best suited to meet their particular needs.
Positive Overviews from Fort Wayne Residents
In one such case, an individual was able to defend themselves in a family law matter after receiving legal advice through a free clinic. Without the guidance of an expert attorney, who volunteered his time and resources to meet with clients for just a few hours each month, it would have been unlikely that this client would have had a successful outcome in their case. Instead, with this attorney’s direction, the individual was able to navigate the litigation process with an advocate by their side and ultimately obtained a favorable ruling.
Another success story comes from an opportunity presented through the Volunteer Lawyer Program . An individual who had been wrongfully injured at work, and subsequently denied their claim for medical expenses, was represented by an attorney through *pro bono* services. With their claim paid and their medical expenses covered, the client is now able to focus on their road to recovery rather than worry about whether or not they would be forced to file bankruptcy because of unpaid medical bills.
Free legal services can also be used to provide help to low-income and elderly Fort Wayne residents who are dealing with issues of housing and legal protection. One recent example involves a couple who obtained legal aid in successfully keeping their home despite attempts by a local government authority to relocate them to new housing.
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