Legal Aid in Arkansas
People who need legal assistance for civil matters in Arkansas but do not have great financial resources will want to contact one of the two legal aid societies under the umbrella of the Arkansas Legal Services Partnership. People in the northern and eastern parts of the state can use the Legal Aid of Arkansas (LAA). If you live in the southern or western parts of the state you should contact the Center For Arkansas Legal Services (See Resources).
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Financial Eligibility Guidelines
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People who meet the Federal Poverty Guidelines qualify for legal aid. In Arkansas to be eligible for legal aid the person or family cannot exceed 125 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. This amounts to an annual salary of $18,213 for a family of two, and $22,888 for a family of three. In extraordinary situations legal aid will take cases for families who make up to 200 percent of the Guidelines. You will need to speak with a representative to determine if your situation allows you to exceed the normal Guidelines.
Help Line
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Call the help line to contact legal aid. You can start your relationship with legal aid by contacting them through the help line. When you call you should try to explain your situation in a brief but clear fashion. Call 800-9-LAW-AID or 800-952-9243.
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Civil Matters Handled by Legal Aid
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Legal aid attorneys provide assistance to clients in child custody cases. Legal aid can provide assistance to you with a number of legal matters, including child custody, divorce, consumer law, tenant law and employment law. In some cases the attorneys have helped clients with immigration matters.
Online Legal Library
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Arkansas residents can get online legal forms. Even if you do not use a legal aid attorney you can find useful information through legal aid. The Online Legal Library has numerous fact sheets and forms that are helpful in major areas of civil law. One of the more useful forms is the fee waiver which can filled out to waive court filing fees for unemployed persons (See Resources).
Meeting With Attorney
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When you meet with your attorney be prepared to discuss your case. Before going to your meeting with an attorney make sure that you are prepared. You should bring any papers, or financial statements that relate to your case. Get a folder for your papers and place the documents in this folder. After evaluating your financial situation and your legal needs the attorney may decide to take your case. Be sure to listen carefully to your attorney as this person is a professional whose advice can help you with your case.
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References
Resources
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