How to Get Legal Advice While Incarcerated

Obtaining legal advice while incarcerated usually involves contacting your court appointed or private lawyer for help. However, depending on the location of your prison, there may be organizations that can offer you legal advice.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Internet access

Get Help From Your Lawyer While Incarcerated

1. Contact your attorney to request legal advice while you are incarcerated.

2. Understand that your communications with your lawyer via mail and phone may not be completely private while you are incarcerated. Prison officials can monitor your communications in accordance with the law.

3. Look for more information concerning your rights while incarcerated on the American Civil Liberties Union Web site (see Resources below).

4. Conduct your own legal research in addition to considering your attorney's advice. You may uncover beneficial information on your own.

Perform Legal Research

5. Use the prison's legal library to research laws and legal procedures.

6. Ask prison staff to help you find the contact information of outside agencies, the name of your judge and the date of your next hearing. Prison staff also may be able to provide you with details concerning the charges against you.

7. Obtain the court forms you need online, from the prison law library, or by asking a prison official for help.

Tips & Warnings

• Prison officials are prohibited from providing inmates with legal advice. Seek an attorney's help instead.
• Avoid obtaining legal advice from other prisoners. Jailhouse lawyering is typically against the rules.

Who Can Help:

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