Services are generally provided by staff attorneys and sometimes paralegals with experience in certain areas, such as divorce, landlord-tenant problems, subsidized housing, public assistance, Social Security and unemployment. Additionally, these legal services lawyers may also be able to point you toward non-legal help such as temporary housing, domestic violence shelters and food banks.
Atlanta Legal Aid
Atlanta Legal Aid provides representation exclusively in civil (non-criminal) matters. Naturally, because of budget and staffing constraints, they prioritize the types of cases they take. Priority cases generally include housing, consumer fraud, public benefits, employment, education, health, spouse abuse and child custody cases. They also represent those who are elderly, disabled, mentally ill or who have AIDS, cancer or ALS. Client intake consists of questions regarding the nature of their problem, household income and size. Clients may be served with a referral, brief service and advice, or full representation.
Generally, clients must have an income at or below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines (approximately $26,500 for a family of four). Clients also must reside and have a viable case that falls within Atlanta Legal Aid’s priority and service areas: Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton, Cobb and Gwinnett Counties.
Potential clients can apply for services by telephoning:
(404) 524-5811 in Fulton County
(770) 528-2565 in Cobb County
(404) 377-0701 in DeKalb County
(678) 376-4545 in Gwinnett County
or (404) 669-0233 in Clayton and South Fulton Counties.
If Atlanta Legal Aid cannot accept your case, there may be other free resources available. See the web site for the State Bar of Georgia, or contact the Atlanta Bar Association Referral Service at 404-521-0777. (Other bar associations may have similar programs. Contact your local bar association to find out what is available.)
Georgia Legal Services
The Georgia Legal Services Program has 13 offices around the State, which serve low-income Georgians in civil matters. Their priority areas include:
• Family/Domestic Violence
• Housing
• Public Benefits
• Consumer
• Healthcare
• Education
• Employment
Clients must meet income guidelines in order to be eligible for free legal services (at or below 125% of federal poverty level). There are exceptions, so if your income is slightly over that amount, you should still call (404-206-5175) to find out if you qualify.
LegalAid-GA
LegalAid-GA is a joint project of Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Inc. and the Georgia Legal Services Program. The project is powered by Pro Bono Net, funded by Legal Services Corporation and the Georgia Access to Justice Project and produced in cooperation with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government and legal service organizations and government agencies throughout Georgia and the United States. Their goal is to provide the public with easy Internet access to basic legal information and legal resources in Georgia. Pro Bono Net is a unique collaboration among the various parts of the public interest legal community, organized primarily in New York city. They use information technology to increase the amount and quality of legal services provided to low-income individuals and communities. They can be reached at 212-760-2554.
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http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/08poverty.shtml
http://www.atlantalegalaid.org/
http://www.glsp.org/
http://www.legalaid-ga.org/