Legal services can be costly especially if you are looking at complicated legal proceedings that take months and even years to resolve. Fortunately, Jacksonville is home to clinics and organizations that provide free legal aid for those who cannot afford to hire a lawyer from their own pockets. Here are the type of free legal aid services you can get in Jacksonville.

Free Legal Services in Jacksonville

Legal Counsel

Free legal aid mostly consists of giving legal advice so clients are informed of their legal rights, obligations, and the legal implications of committing certain acts. Most legal aid clinics in Jacksonville welcome walk-in clients as well as requests for legal advice done online.

Community Legal Education

Community legal education can consist of free clinics and seminars done in partnership with local communities. These are done to educate the community about relevant state and federal laws and policies and get in touch with community members in need of legal assistance.

Legal assistance for dissolution of marriage cases and nullification of final judgments and orders

Free clinics and legal NGOs may provide counsel and representation for dissolution of marriage cases. Most law firms do not offer divorce assistance for free, although some may offer counsel for other marriage-related matters.

Representation in social justice cases

Numerous firms and NGOs take in social justice cases especially those with implications that extend beyond the scope of the case, such as sexual harassment cases, cases stemming from hate crimes and discrimination, and freedom of speech cases.

Representation in administrative hearings in county, state, and federal courts

Many clinics offer free counsel and representation for the above and related cases for county, state and federal courts. Some clients may be fortunate enough to have their cases handled by a single legal aid lawyer from the initial court proceedings to the appeals process.

Referrals

Free legal aid clinics also provide referrals to other free legal aid offices as well as to other professionals who can assist a client. For example, referrals can be made to psychologists and social workers in abuse or family custody cases.

How to Look for Free Legal Services in Jacksonville

It is important to note that there are types of legal services that cannot be offered by pro bono legal clinics, such as representation in divorce proceedings and legal assistance for commercial transactions. However, for basic legal counsel and the legal matters stated above, legal services can be had for free if you know where to look. Most law firms have a legal aid division that provides specific pro bono services to clients. The easiest way to do this would be to visit the websites of law firms around your city and determine what services they provide. Another option is to visit law schools and obtain assistance from their legal aid clinics.