What Does Legal Aid Do?
Legal aid is a blanket term that refers to the provision of legal assistance to those in need. In most cases, legal aid is provided free of charge to those who qualify. The primary purpose of legal aid is to help low-income individuals and families secure proper legal representation when going through legal hardship.
Many legal matters require an individual to have the means with which to seek out proper counsel. Without legal aid, many people would be unable to get the help they need to navigate the intricacies of the law. Legal aid is financed through federal funding. In addition to government assistance programs , many legal aid organizations rely on donations from private citizens and industry professionals.
Legal aid organizations have increasingly come to fill the void left behind by federal cuts to legal aid organizations. What was once legal in many states has fallen victim to budget constraints and funding cuts. Organizations like ACTS Project continue to meet the needs of those in need. Huntsville legal aid offering serves as a valuable tool for those who may not be able to afford legal counsel otherwise.
Legal Aid Services in Huntsville
Legal aid organizations in Huntsville provide access to legal representation in civil matters for eligible residents of Madison County. The primary goal of legal aid programs is to ensure that individuals who cannot afford legal representation have the benefit of an attorney. Legal aid services in Huntsville include legal advice, representation in court, courtroom assistance, and document preparation. When legal aid attorneys do not take on a case the organization will often provide pro bono (free) referrals to private lawyers in the area.
Legal aid services in Huntsville cover many areas of law and provide representation for a broad range of civil matters. Support is frequently available for family law issues (such as divorce and child custody), housing problems (such as landlord/tenant disputes and foreclosures/lending fraud), and employment disputes. Individuals dealing with a variety of civil matters should reach out to legal aid organizations to determine what types of support may be available.
Huntsville Legal Aid Eligibility
The criteria for receiving aid from a legal aid clinic can vary from place to place. Generally, eligibility is based on an applicant’s income level as well as any other factors that may affect a case as well as the resources of the clinic offering assistance. In Huntsville, legal aid is offered through the North Alabama Volunteer Lawyers Program, or NAVLP. Along with the income requirements, the main stipulation with their organization is that applicants demonstrate a need for assistance and be in compliance with criminal or court orders from any state. Some cases are simply not accepted, while others require applicants to be willing to accept the terms of a negotiated agreement before the organization will move forward with representative services.
They do reserve the right to choose who they represent based on both the income eligibility and what percentages of income are disposable in order to make client fees manageable. The legal aid group is looking for clients whose incomes are less than 200 percent of the federal poverty line; however, 125 percent is often the upper threshold for consideration as they work to have clients pay a minimum of $25 per month if possible. Costs may be more than that for a couple of hundred clients if the organization feels that they have the resources to cover each case and the applicants can prove their need and ability to pay.
How to Seek Legal Aid Services in Huntsville
The application process for legal aid in Huntsville is straightforward and can often be completed with a phone call. The Legal Aid Society of North Alabama (LASONA) operates a full-service office in Huntsville where someone can apply for legal aid, or applicants may obtain help over the phone by calling Legal Aid of North Alabama’s Legal Services Hotline at 1-800-499-6597 or 256-535-0111. An applicant will answer a series of questions over the phone, and since we are a not-for-profit, there is no cost for the phone interview.
Once the application is approved, Legal Aid of North Alabama will assign an attorney to the case. If an applicant is approved at the LASONA office in Huntsville, he or she may generally expect that an attorney will contact them within one week of applying, so long as additional information is provided if needed.
For more information on the specific cases in which someone can receive legal aid, see LASONA’s Service List.
Huntsville Legal Aid Resources and Organizations
Housing and Eviction:
Legal Aid of North Alabama
Mission:
LLANA is committed to provide access to justice through quality legal representation to those who could not otherwise afford an attorney in North Alabama. We provide civil legal assistance with the goal of helping low-income persons and survivors of domestic violence to achieve safety, security and independence.
They serve individual clients and families in a variety of ways, including delivering direct legal representation, with case services like housing, domestic violence, and consumer law, and by providing access to their pro bono and mediation networks.
Contact: Jourdan Mize, 515 Madison Street, Huntsville, AL 35804; 256-539-2275 ext. 218; [email protected]
Hoover Area Legal Aid Clinic
Mission:
The Hoover Area Legal Aid Clinic represents low-income individuals and families in civil matters. We provide free legal clinics to residents of Hoover and surrounding communities. These clinics will be held at no charge at your city’s location(s).
We assist with all types of civil legal matters including bankruptcy, collection, alimony, custody, divorce, guardianship, visitation, mediation, traffic, or other matters not needing full representation by a lawyer. In some circumstances we will represent your case in court or throughout the entire case.
Contact: 2419 7th Avenue North Birmingham, Al 35203; 205-251-2226
Domestic Violence:
Crispus Attucks Community Center Fight Against Domestic Violence
Mission:
Crispus Attucks is a community center dedicated to ending Domestic Violence by connecting those in need with vital local, regional, and state services. All services are absolutely free of charge and are provided in a safe and comfortable environment.
Their services include parenting classes (both on-site and online) , a Domestic Violence Support Group, and Youth Leadership volunteering programs. They’ll also help connect you with other agencies that can assist your family.
They’ll consider forming programs to fit specific clientele needs as more folks become involved.
Contact: Mark Siniard, 620 9th Street NW, Huntsville, AL 35805; 256-551-2190; 256-508-1481 (cell)
Breach "a Group of Advocates Fighting for Families Impacted by Intimate Partner Violence"
Mission:
Breach Inc. is organized exclusively for charitable, scientific, and educational purposes. Breach provides education for the public on family centered for management of Contervention Parenting as it pertains to domestic violence.
They provide support services and referrals to court and legal services of those impacted by domestic violence. Working with the courts and law enforcement, they’ll collaborate to provide successful resolution to issues that arise. Their assistance services include chapel services and organizational management services.
Contact: Mrs. Debra Harris, 203 Fourth Avenue SE, Huntsville, AL 35802; 256-882-1878; 256-457-9678
Metro Conflict Resolution Center
Mission:
MCRC provides peaceful solutions for people experiencing conflict in the Greater Huntsville area. They bring together people who want to solve problems, manage conflict, and assist conflicting parties to resolve their issues.
They specialize in alternative forms of conflict resolution, such as mediation, facilitation, and arbitration (alternative dispute resolution- ADR). ADR can bring parties to resolution without involving the court systems and costly litigation.
Contact: Susan Capin, 700 Clinton Avenue W., Suite 280, Huntsville, AL 35801; 256-508-2858 (cell); 256-535-1600; 256-535-1616 (fax)
Huntsville Legal Aid: Success Stories
Anecdotal evidence of the impact of legal aid services in Huntsville can draw a vivid picture of how essential these services are in the lives of underserved members of the community. A case recently reported (with permission, of course) by the Huntsville office of Legal Services Alabama will illustrate this impact. An elderly married couple came to our clinic one Saturday afternoon for assistance with an eviction notice. The couple wanted us to negotiate their outstanding rent balance and stop the eviction, and they also needed assistance with a domestic relations matter. After advising the couple that our only ability was to refer them to a lawyer, and that we did not provide direct representation, they agreed to a referral to our staff attorney. The couple came back the following Wednesday and explained that they had gone to USAttorneys.com, had completed an online intake packet, and had found a client-centered attorney the following day. Our staff attorney took their domestic relations matter as part of her pro bono hours, and within 48 hours had represented the clients in a contempt hearing and brought the clients into compliance with court orders. Due to their inability to pay, the attorney even was able to get a portion of the court costs waived as well. In our clinic, we provided the couple detailed information about the eviction process and what steps could be taken to possibly prevent eviction, including possible negotiation settlement with the landlord. We also referred them to the Regional Housing Authority and an emergency grant program with the Department of Human Resources. Even though none of those resources ultimately affected the eviction situation, by connecting with the correct services at the correct times the client was able to achieve their goal of staying in their home while being in compliance with the court’s orders in their domestic relations matter.
Huntsville Legal Aid Challenges
Despite the essential services that legal aid organizations provide, countless challenges threaten their ability to continue to meet the needs of their communities. Funding shortages have become a universal problem for legal aid organizations in the wake of the Great Recession. The economic downturn drastically reduced the number of individuals who donate their time, services, and money to legal aid organizations. With a shortage of funds, volunteer hours, and guarantees from the state and federal governments, the ability of legal aid organizations to provide assistance is being severely tested.
According to a 2017 report from the Texas Access to Justice Commission, "48% of civil legal aid funding comes from IOLTA. During the last crisis from 2008 to 2012 the Texas IOLTA revenue dropped by over 65%. This urgent need for stable funding has grown more apparent in recent years as legal aid organizations have seen an 18% increase in the number of people seeking their services." The United States Congress also cut the Legal Services Corporation’s (LSC) budget in 2017 by $25 million. According to a 2017 report from the National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA), "As of September 2016, LSC grantees were serving 1.4 million fewer client households than in 2009. The number of people seeking assistance at LSC-funded programs is continuing to grow, while program capacity to meet that demand has been steadily declining."
Huntsville is not alone in facing the current funding shortages. In May 2018, Jessica Pishko, a staff attorney working at Legal Services of North Florida in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, posted on Twitter that her firm is severely underfunded as demand continues to increase:
1/ Thread: why lawyers need to care about the funding of legal aid programs. We are currently in the first round of cuts at my legal aid program due to insufficient IOLTA revenue, because our next fiscal year doesn’t start until October, we had to do it in May. It went this way:— Jessica Pishko (@jesspishko) May 17, 2018
Other private and community funds have also dried up in recent years. Dory Cecka, the executive director of Lone Star Legal Aid, recently told the Houston Chronicle that "The reality of the situation is that $40,000 goes a long way … but we sometimes won’t know until the last minute if we will lose a board member. And organizations will pull back until they know if they have the donations they’ve had in the past."
Along with funds from LSC, the State Bar of Texas provides funding to legal aid groups, which is distributed through grants to a network of 28 organizations. That money comes from IOLTA and is largely dependent on the interest rates banks pay on lawyers’ clients’ funds that are held in their trust accounts. When the housing market crashed in 2008, interest rates tanked and the revenue from IOLTA dropped precipitously, with grantees receiving millions less than they had expected. In 2018, the 28 legal aid groups in Texas received $12.7 million in funding from the State Bar, about $2.8 million less than they did in 2008.
In order to combat the reduced funding, many legal aid groups have sought other funding sources, like private donations or large gifts from foundations, in order to maintain operations. Others have cut expenses and eliminated financial assistance programs. At Lone Star Legal Aid, they no longer accept applications for non-emergency financial assistance and have been forced to lay off Title Support Specialists – the title industry professionals who help low-income families apply for low-interest loans and grants. Staff members there believe it is important to maintain their ability to deliver meaningful representation in cases of law, such as divorce, foreclosure, criminal record expungement and domestic violence, but this means that they will have to find other sources of funds to continue to provide financial assistance.
How to Volunteer and Help Legal Aid in Huntsville
For those looking to assist legal aid services, there are numerous ways to get involved. Volunteer opportunities range from offering pro bono legal services to participating in community outreach programs. The provision of legal counsel is critical, as many individuals who access legal aid services may not otherwise be able to afford legal representation. Pro bono volunteer attorneys can help in a variety of areas including family law, criminal defense, and immigration matters.
In addition to legal support through pro bono work, nonprofits like Legal Services Alabama often rely on the generosity of the public to sustain their operations . Private donations, whether of money or goods and services, can make a significant difference in the resources available for legal assistance. Many organizations provide information on their websites about how to donate, as well as other ways to help.
Beyond volunteering and donating, individuals can advocate for greater support for legal aid in wider systems. This might involve raising awareness within the community of the importance of funding for legal aid services or meeting with local lawmakers to promote the establishment of new legal aid programs.
No matter how a person chooses to get involved, support from the community is paramount in ensuring that legal aid services continue to thrive and that those in need of legal counsel have access to the help they require.