Find a Lawyer

IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD A LAWYER

There are eight Legal Aid or Legal Services organizations in Tennessee. These are not-for-profit law offices that give certain types of free legal help to people who cannot afford to pay a lawyer.

Qualifying for Help:

Due to limited resources, Legal Aid cannot help everyone with every legal problem. There are also some types of cases Legal Aid does not handle, such as criminal cases and fee-generating cases, like car accidents where you want to make the other person pay for your injuries or the damage to your car.

People who are in low-income households can get some kinds of free legal help from Legal Aid offices. When you call the office, you will be asked about your income and the income of others in your home. Your income must be under the current poverty guidelines to make you eligible.

Certain Types of Legal Problems:

If you are within the guidelines, you will be asked about the type of legal problem that you have. Below are some of the kinds of cases Legal Aid can help you with:

• Problems with your landlord
• Food stamps
• Families First (welfare)
• TennCare or Medicare
• Family problem relating to domestic violence.

Maybe Some Costs:

The Legal Aid offices do not charge for the legal help they provide, but you may have to pay court costs to take a case to court or other expenses, such as, copies of records, court reporters, and so forth. However, you will not be charged for the attorney's or paralegal's time or advice.

How to Find a Legal Aid Office:

To find a legal aid office near you, you can go to TennLegalAid.com which will allow you see a listing of the legal aid programs or to click on a map which shows the service areas for each program. 

To find a local legal office this way, go to: http://www.tn.gov