What is Legal Aid?
The term legal aid refers to a number of nonprofit organizations which provide services that are of paramount importance for individuals who are unable to afford a private attorney. Legal aid ensures that legal representation is available to everybody, regardless of their income. Family law issues such as divorce, custody, alimony and child support are common problems when legal aid is in place to help those who are unable to afford private lawyers.
Legal aid organizations are also available to assist qualified individuals with real estate matters, housing problems, bankruptcies, foreclosure defense, evictions, unemployment compensation and public benefits. Additional areas may include consumer issues, including wrongful garnishments and repossessions, and even criminal issues. Legal aid organizations handle a wide range of cases, though the most common concerns revolve around family law, consumer issues and housing .
Many legal aid organizations exist as a part of the Legal Services Corporation, a congressionally-authorized organization based in Washington D.C. LSC receives grants from the U.S. government to aid low income people in the area of civil justice. For the fiscal year 2011, funding programs by LSC aided 811,184 Americans in living with more stability and success. Grants were awarded in the amount of $348,057,613, which is money that would otherwise go unspent.
Legal aid lawyers are present in every state and do not charge clients for their services. Many legal aid organizations have senior projects, volunteer initiatives, domestic violence legal aid programs and pro bono programs. The LSC’s "Pro Bono Across America" maintains a directory of pro bono programs by state to promote the work done by private lawyers who aid clients in need throughout the country.
Types of Legal Aid Services
Residents in Laredo and surrounding areas can take advantage of legal aid services for numerous legal issues. Legal aid services offered include those pertaining to family law, housing, immigration, consumer matters, and many other civil issues.
Family Law
Legal aid services is available for low-income individuals involved in legal matters pertaining to divorce, child custody, child support, and visitation. In situations involving domestic violence, the district courts may be able to provide assistance with filing a protective order against your spouse.
Housing
Legal aid in Laredo is offered for problems related to housing. The Laredo Legal Aid Center provides help to those facing eviction, discrimination, or unsafe living conditions.
Immigration
There is basic legal aid services for Laredo immigrants who are not eligible to receive legal representation through other means. Citizenship Matters assists low-income immigrants with a wide variety of different issues such as naturalization, VAWA relief, Deferred action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), U-Visas, and Special Immigrant Juvenile Visas (SIJ).
Consumer
For those dealing with credit card debt, repossession, and bankruptcy, legal aid services are available to assist you in your case.
Civil Matters
Individuals needing assistance with other civil matters such as wills and probate, guardianship, adoption, professional compensation for injury or death, assistance with filing a bill of rights or privacy policy, or enforcement of the Texas Public Information Act can find help through legal aid in Laredo.
Legal Aid Eligibility in Laredo, TX
Legal aid services have specific criteria used to determine client eligibility based on factors such as income level, type of case, location of the problem, and other similar factors. In Laredo, Legal Aid of Northwest Texas considers an annual income below 125% of the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ official poverty guidelines, which for a family of four was $32,750 in 2016. When evaluating case types, Legal Aid accepts cases dealing with family law issues, landlord-tenant disputes, consumer disputes, public benefits, and protection orders.
How to Obtain Legal Aid
Navigating the process to receive legal aid in Laredo, TX, can be a bit overwhelming, but taking the right steps and having the necessary information on hand makes things smoother. Legal aid services are not guaranteed and applicants must meet certain criteria to qualify. It generally involves answering questions about your legal needs and the resources currently available to you, as well as submitting information to prove your financial hardship.
The process usually begins with a call to a legal aid office or the Texas Legal Services Center. It’s wise to find out first whether the office serves your area, as there may be others better suited for your case if not. It’s recommended that you call as early in the day as possible, and before 10 a.m. is usually good. This way you can avoid a long wait time once someone is available to take your call. Lawyers avoid taking bad cases that are outside their area of practice, so the sooner you contact a legal aid office, the more options you will have available to you.
Be ready when your call gets through to you – the intake officer will need to know about the legal problem that you are going through and the assistance that you are asking for. There may be an online intake process available for initial information gathering. Make sure to have as much information on hand as possible about the situation in order to reduce back-and-forth communication and expedite the response. Information that may be needed includes court dates , the names of judges, where you live, the people involved in the case, the nature of your legal problem, and the type of legal aid you are seeking (if there are multiple), such as financial assistance or pro bono legal representation.
It’s also important to have some information on hand regarding your financial status, as legal services are given based on need. Recent pay stubs, bank statements, Social Security income or unemployment benefits received, and recent tax returns will likely be needed. Bank statements are especially specific – you’ll be asked about things like the money that you currently have in your accounts. Ask the officer about what specific financial documents are needed and why. If you’re unsure at the time of the phone call, they’ll tell you.
Once all of the information is gathered and verified, you may be able to receive the legal services requested within a week or so. In some cases, though, the officers will need to refer your case to another legal aid provider in the area. It can take some time to process cases, so make sure to keep in touch with both the referer and the referee.
Legal Aid Organizations in Laredo
The City of Laredo and Webb County are served by a number of vital Legal Aid and Pro Bono Service Organizations:
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Inc. (TRLA) TRLA is the largest provider of free legal services in Southwest Texas. Headquartered in San Antonio, TRLA serves sixty-eight counties. The office in Laredo provides legal assistance to clients in need of family law representation, bankruptcy assistance, elder law services and consumer issues. The office is place-bound only serving those clients that are within Webb County.
Laredo Bar Association The Laredo Bar Association is not a legal aid service, but is a good resource for persons looking for an attorney to assist them on a case or for more legal information. Their members include Laredo attorneys, judges, public officials and others involved in the legal profession. They point prospective clients to the right Laredo lawyer for the type of legal services they are looking for.
The Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition of South Texas This coalition aims to ensure that every immigrant and refugee in South Texas knows, understands and is able to access their rights under U.S. Federal law, so they can make an informed decision about their immigration status. It also helps to guarantee that no rights, benefits or opportunities are forfeited because the individual cannot afford an attorney or is simply unable to access federal services. In order to make sure all immigrants and refugees have equal access to the rights and opportunities guaranteed under U.S. Federal law, the Coalition fights for funding and comprehensive legal representation for every indigent person in removal proceedings or in cases relating to violence against women. It works to guarantee that no person is deported before they have a fair chance to make their legal case.
The Coalition consists of representatives from the Laredo Immigrant Alliance, American Gateways, Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, Community Justice Project, and Catholic Charities of Webb County. The Coalition is working on the launch of the Immigration Hotline that will provide free legal assistance to immigrants in Webb County.
Local Pro Bono Support Volunteer attorneys and local non-profit organizations provide community outreach and support efforts that connect low-income individuals and families to service points and legal guidance at various locations in Webb County.
Advantages of Legal Aid in Laredo
Legal aid in Laredo, TX, is essential to ensuring that low-income citizens in Webb County can access the legal services they need to fully participate in the justice system. Legal aid helps those in need of assistance with legal counsel in civil matters. This includes many issues that are beyond the scope of services covered by other legal aid organizations. It also represents a valuable resource for individuals and families who are seeking legal representation for issues surrounding economic security, immigration, families, children and the elderly . Legal aid’s contribution to the community as a whole is another major benefit to consider. Legal aid ensures that those in lower income brackets have equal opportunities when seeking help from the justice system. This includes not only support for individual cases, but also the greater contribution to justice for all through helping to ensure that no one feels shut out or unable to achieve their rights. Legal aid in Laredo also nurtures faith in the justice system as a whole, helping to build relationships with legal professionals in the local state of Texas.