Find free or affordable legal help in the United States

Find affordable help for your specific problem

Use LSC’s location search to find a civil legal aid office, then check whether it handles the issue and county in your notice.

What to prepare

• Prepare the notice, location and one sentence about the problem; ask what income information intake needs.

Steps to take

1. Ask whether you should call, complete an intake form or attend a clinic, and whether an appointment is required.
2. Explain any deadline first and request one clear next step before ending the contact.

What to check before relying on this: Income rules, accepted case types and capacity differ. A directory listing does not guarantee a free lawyer.

If that route does not work: Use USA.gov’s other legal-help routes if that office does not serve your issue or location.

Official and service sources: LSC — Find local civil legal aid · USA.gov — Free and low-cost legal help

Continue with a related guide: Complete guide to finding legal help

Prepare the first call and documents

Start with the latest paper and a short sequence of events. Tell intake about urgent dates before explaining the whole history.

What to prepare

• Bring notices and envelopes, relevant agreements and prior replies. If something is missing, note who may have a copy.

Steps to take

1. Confirm which documents the office actually wants and how to send copies securely.
2. Ask about appointment length, an interpreter and whether a trusted support person may attend.

What to check before relying on this: Do not assume that completing intake creates a lawyer-client relationship or that every communication has the same confidentiality protection.

If that route does not work: If paperwork feels overwhelming, ask intake which single item is most important to send first.

Official and service sources: LSC — Find local civil legal aid · USA.gov — Free and low-cost legal help · ABA — Model guidance on prospective clients

Continue with a related guide: Prepare for a legal aid appointment

Try another route if an office cannot take the case

Ask why the office cannot help: location, issue, eligibility, a conflict or current capacity. Use that answer to select the next service.

What to prepare

• Keep the office’s reply, any referral and the original court or agency deadline.

Steps to take

1. Ask for a named alternative, such as another legal aid office, a law school clinic or a reduced-fee service.
2. Check the alternative’s accepted issues and intake process before resending your documents.

What to check before relying on this: A refusal of legal aid is not a court decision and does not tell you whether your legal claim succeeds. Waiting for a referral does not extend a deadline.

If that route does not work: Ask the relevant court about official self-help resources while continuing to seek qualified advice.

Official and service sources: USA.gov — Free and low-cost legal help · LSC — Find local civil legal aid · USA.gov — Find the relevant court · Utah Courts — Example: limited legal help

Continue with a related guide: What to try after a refusal

Separate advice, forms, representation and fees

Before relying on a service, ask it to describe exactly what it will do. A short consultation may end without anyone agreeing to file or appear for you.

What to prepare

• Keep any engagement letter, fee quote or written description of the tasks offered.

Steps to take

1. Ask who will prepare, file and deliver papers and who will attend any hearing, if these tasks apply.
2. Check lawyer charges, filing costs and other expenses separately; ask the court about any fee-waiver route.

What to check before relying on this: Free forms or a waived court fee do not provide a lawyer. Limited help leaves tasks with you unless the service agrees otherwise.

If that route does not work: Ask for clarification in writing or another service if the scope or price remains unclear.

Official and service sources: USA.gov — Free and low-cost legal help · LSC — What civil legal services do · Utah Courts — Example: limited legal help · California State Bar — Example: clarify fees and costs · USA.gov — Find the relevant court

Request an interpreter or accessible format

Tell both the legal service and the court or agency, when relevant, what communication support you need. Arrangements with one do not automatically cover the other.

What to prepare

• Write the language or access need, appointment details and any instructions for requesting assistance.

Steps to take

1. Ask how to request spoken-language interpretation, a sign-language interpreter, captions, large print or another suitable aid.
2. Confirm who arranges it, whether you pay anything and how you will receive confirmation before the appointment.

What to check before relying on this: Disability access and spoken-language interpretation are different requests. A translated website does not guarantee either service in every setting.

If that route does not work: Ask for the access coordinator or an alternative intake method if the first channel is unusable.

Official and service sources: ADA.gov — Accessible communication · USA.gov — Free and low-cost legal help

Find help with a SNAP, Medicaid or unemployment appeal

Identify the program and the agency that issued the decision. Contact a legal aid office that handles public-benefit appeals in that jurisdiction.

What to prepare

• Keep the full decision, envelope, received date, application receipts and documents related to the stated reason.

Steps to take

1. Read the notice’s review instructions and ask the named agency to clarify the filing route and deadline.
2. Ask the adviser whether any separate, shorter deadline affects continued benefits and who will submit each request.

What to check before relying on this: These programs do not share a universal appeal deadline. An information request or legal aid intake is not the appeal itself.

If that route does not work: Use the official state program contact for instructions while seeking another qualified legal service.

Official and service sources: LSC — What civil legal services do · Medicaid.gov — State contacts · USA.gov — SNAP state offices · USA.gov — Unemployment benefits by state

Continue with a related guide: Read a benefit denial and plan the next step

Get help after receiving a debt lawsuit

Read the court papers and identify the response date and court. Seek legal help promptly even if you think the debt or amount is wrong.

What to prepare

• Keep all lawsuit pages, delivery details, collection letters and any payment records you have.

Steps to take

1. Tell intake that this is a lawsuit, rather than only a collection call, and ask for help with the court response.
2. Verify the court’s official self-help instructions and keep proof of any action taken through the proper process.

What to check before relying on this: Ignoring papers can lead to a default judgment. A complaint to CFPB or a call to the collector does not replace a required court response.

If that route does not work: If one office cannot help, request an urgent clinic or another legal aid referral without assuming extra time was granted.

Official and service sources: CFPB — If a debt collector sues you · LSC — Find local civil legal aid · USA.gov — Find the relevant court