What is Legal Aid
Legal aid is a vital component of the American legal system designed to ensure that everyone, regardless of their economic status, can access legal assistance and representation. Legal aid programs typically provide free or low-cost legal services to individuals and families who cannot afford private legal counsel. These services may range from providing basic legal advice and information to full legal representation in court.
The fundamental purpose of legal aid is to create equal access to justice. In an ideal world, everyone would have the financial means to hire attorneys to represent them and protect their interests. However, the reality is that most people do not have the resources to pay for a lawyer. As a result, many individuals face legal challenges, including family law disputes, housing issues, or issues related to public benefits, without the benefit of having an attorney by their side.
Legal aid programs are particularly crucial for addressing the legal needs of the most vulnerable members of our society – low-income individuals , children, the elderly, and the disabled. With limited resources and heavy caseloads, legal aid attorneys work tirelessly to serve their clients and provide critical legal services when they are needed the most. They advocate for justice not only on behalf of individuals but also work to effect policy changes that have long-lasting impacts on marginalized communities.
In each community, legal aid organizations strive to understand the specific legal needs of the populations they serve and direct their efforts to meet those needs. It is through this mission that legal aid lawyers make formidable adversaries for those seeking to exploit systemic issues and societal inequities.
Therefore, the underlying principle of legal aid is that no one should be denied access to legal representation based on their ability to pay. Through legal aid, a higher calling is met – that of serving justice and upholding the rule of law for all.
Who Qualifies for Legal Aid in Lancaster
Eligibility requirements for legal aid services in Lancaster, PA vary based on the nature of the program in question. For instance, while the Lancaster Bar Association strongly encourages low-income individuals to utilize Penn Legal Services, the Lancaster County Office of Aging provides assistance to seniors specifically. Some providers will only offer advice, while others will take on cases and represent clients in court, and each has its own asset and income threshold.
Most commonly, however, legal aid services are offered to individuals with a household income that is 125 percent of the federal poverty guidelines or below. Therefore, if a family of four has a gross household income of $30,000, which is below the 125 percent threshold for a family of that size, they would qualify for legal assistance, but the majority of families in the area probably would not. By many estimates, a family of two needs to earn between $55,000 and $70,000 per year in order to afford the necessities for life.
As for types of cases that qualify, once again, this will depend on the provider. For example, Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania (LASP) provides free civil legal aid to residents of Lancaster, Berks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Schuylkill counties. In Lancaster, this is mostly provided by the Penn Legal Services office in the Lancaster Bar Association building. These attorneys take on a variety of cases in the areas of housing, disability, expungement, and public benefits.
For a full list of the types of cases that legal aid services cover, you can visit the websites of each of the organizations above, or contact them directly to inquire.
Categories of Legal Aid Services
In addition to Wills and Powers of Attorney, there are various other legal matters for which legal aid assistance is provided.
Family Law
There are many areas of family law for which legal aid can provide assistance, such as child custody, divorce, and debt relief. With divorce cases, legal aid attorneys will typically provide scheduling and procedural advice before you appear in the Domestic Relations Section with a $100.00 filing fee along with important scheduling information, including your soonest possible court appearance. Custody cases are typically referred to Conciliation, where a mediator attempts to assist both parents in reaching an agreement for parenting time. Legal aid attorneys usually appear in Conciliation cases to provide assistance to either of the parties with a legal background, or to assist one of the parties in reaching an agreement. If a full hearing or trial needs to be scheduled, legal aid can still provide some assistance with paperwork, but most importantly with the formation of a Custody Statement Register Statement Form.
Housing
Housing matters include landlord/tenant issues, evictions, and actions to compel the owner of a residential unit to make repairs directly affecting the tenant. In housing matters the landlord is typically represented by an attorney, so it is important to have legal aid assistance in landlord/tenant issues.
Immigration
There is no fee for immigration assistance and legal aid assists primarily with filing immigration paperwork, including applications for Citizenship.
Consumer Rights
Consumer rights involves issues such as obtaining a copy of your credit report and obtaining assistance in reducing or eliminating debt from collection agencies. Legal aid will also assist in determining your eligibility for bankruptcy protection.
Notable Legal Aid Groups in Lancaster
Several key organizations in Lancaster, PA, provide essential services to those in need of legal assistance:
Community Justice Project
A non-profit law firm providing legal assistance to low-income people in Lancaster and Lebanon counties, the Community Justice Project strives to offer free legal representation to individuals unable to afford an attorney. It also works to create social change through policy research and analysis, impact litigation and grassroots organizing.
CJP assists with a wide range of matters relating to housing, consumer issues, family law and public benefits. The organization also helps with cases involving unemployment compensation. This organization has four locations in Lancaster and Lebanon counties.
315 W. Liberty Street, Lancaster, PA (717) 393-0300
Lancaster Legal Aid Society
Established in 1920, the Lancaster Legal Aid Society serves as the primary provider of pro bono legal aid and community education programs in Lancaster County. LLAS utilizes paralegals and volunteer attorneys to represent clients in matters including landlord-tenant issues, domestic violence, divorce, custody and adoption, as well as juvenile dependency cases, drivers’ license suspensions and wage attachment matters .
LLAS takes on civil, non-criminal legal matters that affect the quality of life for poor and low-income residents of Lancaster County. Its help is extended to immigrants, domestic violence victims, families and vulnerable seniors. In addition to providing free and sliding-scale legal services, LLAS offers attorney referral and legal advice clinics, a self-help center at the courthouse and a children’s law clinic in partnership with the Lancaster Bar Association.
Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania
Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania (LASP) is a non-profit law firm accepting cases in Lancaster and surrounding counties. Its attorneys focus their practice on providing free legal assistance to low-income people in civil matters, such as housing, benefits, health care, family and education law.
LASP often accepts cases dealing with family law matters including child custody, adoption and divorces. It also helps with expunging criminal records in Pennsylvania and provides assistance with mortgage foreclosure, bankruptcy and debt collection issues.
Process to Seek Legal Aid
Lancaster residents in need of legal assistance have a number of options available to them. However, many may be unsure of how to apply for the legal aid they need. The following guide will walk you through the process of applying for legal aid.
The first step in the process is finding the legal aid organization that best meets your needs. In the Lancaster area, in addition to PALawHELP, interested parties may contact the Lancaster Bar Association, MidPenn Legal Services, New Hope Ministries, Central PA Legal Services, the Pennsylvania Work Adjustment Board or Landlord, Tenant and Advocates (LTA). Residents may also contact HUD’s Housing Counselors Directory to find housing legal aid help near them.
Once you’ve identified the organization best suited for your needs, visit their website or call the number listed to begin the application process. Each organization has its own process for reviewing applications, so follow the instructions provided carefully to ensure your application is reviewed in a timely manner.
In most cases, you will need to prove financial need for the organization to determine if you are eligible for legal aid services. Legal aid services are often offered free of charge or at a reduced rate, depending on your need, so organizations must review your income and assets to ensure they are able to offer the services you require. This is one of the reasons why personal integrity in all professional dealings is so important.
Gather the following information to have on hand when beginning your application:
Be sure to provide any other information requested by the organization, as each organization’s requirements may differ slightly from one another.
Once the organization has had a chance to review your application details, they will let you know if you qualify for their services. If you do not, they will likely refer you to another organization that may better meet your needs.
Supplementary Options and Support
In addition to local legal aid offices, several community programs, both in-person and online, can help Lancaster residents without the means to hire a private attorney. The Pennsylvania Bar Association is the statewide bar association for lawyers in the Commonwealth. Their Pro Bono (free) Opportunities Center matches low-income clients with lawyers who are willing to handle their cases at no charge. The statewide Public Interest Section provides support, assistance, and educational materials to lawyers representing clients as part of their pro-bono work. The Lancaster Bar Association offers a referral and lawyer matching service. If potential clients visit their offices at 28 East Orange Street, they will help find a pro bono lawyer in the area. This service is open to low-income residents and does not charge a fee. Local legal aid and public interest groups help increase access to justice in Lancaster County for vulnerable communities like minorities, veterans , and those grappling with mental health issues. For example, a private, nonprofit organization called the Community Justice Project helps people in Lancaster fight against housing discrimination, obtain access to treatment for mental health issues, and defend their rights to due process. The Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project is also dedicated to aiding low-income individuals and the elderly. Their Lancaster office provides free civil legal services to those who are incarcerated, institutionalized, or otherwise disadvantaged. In addition to the aforementioned organizations and their pods that extend throughout the country, The Law School Admission Council helps people understand the law school admission process and the practice of law by providing test preparation materials, articles, and direct advice from law professors. This information is especially helpful to those who only have a passing knowledge of how the American judicial system operates.
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