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Felons may at times need legal assistance. The problem, however, is that it is not cheap. When you contact an attorney to work with it can be quite costly. The average attorney hourly rate in America is $225. Even the most affordable attorneys are going to start out charging at least $100 per hour. No matter how desperate you may be for legal guidance, it may be simply out of the question to pay rates like that. The good news is that you don’t have to.
There are places that offer free legal assistance for felons. By turning to these places, you can get the legal help you need, without having to go into debt to get it. There are organizations and individual attorneys who will offer free legal assistance for felons. It’s important to know that free legal assistance is also referred to as it being “pro bono.” If you see an attorney or organization offering pro bono services, it means they provide free legal assistance.
Free Legal Assistance for Felons
Legal Aid – Around the country, you will find Legal Aid offices where felons can get free legal assistance. The Legal Aid offices are found in most cities and offer free legal assistance to anyone who needs the help. Felons who have a low income may qualify for help through Legal Aid. In order to qualify to receive free legal assistance from Legal Aid offices, you have to have a household annual income at or below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines. Some of the free legal assistance for felons that are offered through Legal Aid offices includes issues in family law, housing and foreclosure cases, consumer issues, employment and income maintenance, and more. To locate a Legal Aid office near you, click here.
State Bar Associations – Every state has what is called a “state bar” that governs the attorneys in that state. To find free legal assistance for felons, you can call your state bar to ask them if there are any pro bono attorneys in your area. They usually have a database of attorneys in the state that offer free legal assistance for felons. You will need to let them know what your case is about (i.e., criminal, family, bankruptcy, etc.), and they will be able to tell you if there are any pro bono attorneys in your area. If there are, they will provide you with their contact information, and then you will be able to contact the attorney directly. To find your state’s bar association, click here.
Reentry Programs – There are reentry programs around the country that will offer free legal assistance for felons. The goal of reentry programs is to help felons get back into society in a successful way. The programs will provide felons with job skills training, as well as other helpful assistance programs. One of the helpful programs they offer is free legal assistance for felons. To get free legal assistance for felons from reentry programs, reach out to one in your area to see what services are offered. If they do not offer free legal assistance for felons at that reentry program, they may be able to provide you with a referral to a nearby place that does. To find a reenter program near you, click here.
Avvo – Felons who have legal questions, but don’t feel it’s enough to pay to consult with an attorney, may be able to get what they need from Avvo. This is an online site where felons can post their questions, and then real attorneys in their state provide answers. As long as your question is not too in-depth, then an attorney can quickly respond to your question and provide free legal assistance for felons. When posting your question, you will need to put it in the appropriate state and type of law that it falls under. Avoid posting your name or personal contact information. Just post your legal question(s) and see what attorneys in your state will respond to provide free legal assistance. Avvo is a free for people to use, so it won’t cost anything to post your legal questions, and they will be answered by real attorneys. To visit the site, click here.
Justia – Similar to Avvo, this website offers free legal assistance for felons. You can post your question for free, and it will be answered by attorneys in your state. Avoid posting your personal name and contact information. Rather, stick to just asking your legal question, and you are likely to get a few attorneys provide responses. To get more information, click here.
In addition to the above list of places where you can get free legal assistance for felons, be sure to check with your local colleges. Law schools will often provide free legal advice, which is provided by their students.
