Free Legal Aid in Forth Worth
Last updated: November 5, 2013
Do you have a legal issue in the Fort Worth area, but can’t afford to hire an attorney? There are many free or low-cost legal service options for Denton, Tarrant, and surrounding county residents. One of the main providers is Legal Aid of Northwest Texas, a nonprofit legal aid organization providing free legal aid to low-income residents and seniors. There may be income limits that apply for you to qualify for free/low-cost help. Contact the specific agency to learn more. Below is a list of several organizations available to help you.
General Law
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American Civil Liberties Union of Texas
PO Box 8772
Fort Worth, TX 76124
Tel: (817) 534-6883Areas of Law: Discrimination, Election and Voting, Freedom Speech, Freedom of Religion, Immigration Rights, LGBT Rights, Privacy, Police Practices, Jail and Prison Conditions, and other issues of fair treatment by government.
Good to Know: The ACLU does not usually assist in the following types of cases: criminal defense or post-conviction appeals, divorce or child custody disputes, property disputes, tax problems, workers compensation issues, consumer complaints, landlord-tenant disputes, building code issues and complaints about lawyers or judges. Requests for legal assistance must be submitted online.
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Legal Line – Project of the Tarrant County Bar Association
Tel: (817) 335-1239Areas of Law: Most civil matters except criminal, traffic, or personal injury plaintiffs.
Good to Know: This is a legal hotline. Volunteer attorneys offer free legal advice over the phone on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month from 6pm-8 pm
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Legal Aid of Northwest Texas
600 E. Weatherford St
Fort Worth, TX 76102
Tel: (800) 955-3959Areas of Law: Family, Housing, Health, Elderly, Children/Youth Issues, Public Benefits, Employment, Education, Individual Rights, Probate, Consumer
Good to Know: This office offers advice/legal counsel, brief services, self-help clinics, community legal education, and referrals, as well as full representation in administrative hearings and county, state, and federal courts. They do not assist with criminal cases. Applicants must qualify for services under financial guidelines. These guidelines are based on household size, income and assets. Most families who receive government benefits or who have minimum wage jobs are eligible for services.
AIDS/HIV
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AIDS Outreach Center
400 North Beach Street
Fort Worth, TX 76111
Tel: (817) 335-1994Areas of Law: HIV/AIDS Advocacy, Insurance, Employment, Housing, Family, Wills, Powers of Attorney, Directives to Physicians, Estate Planning and Bankruptcy
Good to Know: This organization provides free legal counsel, representation, and advocacy to low-income persons who are diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, have a civil legal issue related to their diagnosis, and meet established income criteria.
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Legal Hospice of Texas
1825 Market Center Blvd
Suite 550
Dallas, TX 75207
Tel: (214) 521-6622Area of Law: HIV/AIDS Advocacy
Good to Know: Legal Hospice provides free legal counsel, representation, and advocacy to low-income persons who are diagnosed with terminal illness or HIV disease, have a civil legal issue related to their diagnosis, and meet established income criteria.
Alternative Dispute Resolution
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Denton County Alternative Dispute Resolution Program
512 W. Hickory
Ste. 202
Denton, TX 76201
Tel: (940) 320-1500Areas of Law: Family, Probate, Civil
Good to Know: This office provides alternative dispute resolution services including mediation for matters such as divorce, custody, probate and community disputes on a sliding scale.
Disability Law
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Disability Rights Texas
North Texas Regional Office
1420 West Mockingbird Lane, Suite 450
Dallas, TX 75247
Tel: (214) 630-0916Area of Law: Disability Rights
Good to Know: This organization handles disability-related issues including access and discrimination.
Domestic Violence
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Brighter Tomorrows
P.O. Box 532151
Grand Prairie, TX 75053
Tel: (972) 254-4003Areas of Law: Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault
Good to Know: This agency provides legal advocacy for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, particularly with obtaining protective orders and referrals to free and sliding scale legal assistance.
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Denton County Friends of the Family
4845 S I-35 E
Suite 200
Corinth, TX 76210
Tel: (940) 387-5131Areas of Law: Domestic Violence, Family law, Sexual Assault
Good to Know: This organization provides legal advocacy for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, particularly with obtaining protective orders and referrals to free and sliding scale legal assistance.
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Human Rights Initiative of North Texas
2801 Swiss Ave
Dallas, TX 75204
Tel: (214) 855-0520Areas of Law: Immigration, Domestic Violence, Human Trafficking
Good to Know: This agency provides free legal services to those seeking asylum, relief under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act, immigrant victims of violent crime and immigrant child victims of abuse, neglect and abandonment.
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New Beginning Center
218 North Tenth Street
Garland, TX 75040
Tel: (972) 276-0423Area of Law: Domestic Violence
Good to Know: This agency provides legal advocacy for survivors of domestic violence, particularly with obtaining protective orders and referrals to free and sliding scale legal assistance.
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Texas Advocacy Project
PO Box 833
Austin, TX 78767
Tel: (800) 374-HOPEAreas of Law: Domestic Violence, Family law, Sexual Assault
Good to Know: This is a free statewide legal service for victims of domestic violence. They offer a legal aid hotline and direct legal services.
Important: If you are in immediate danger, please call 911 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
Immigration Law
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Catholic Charities of Dallas, Immigration and Legal Services
843 Lapsley Street
Dallas, TX 75212
Tel: (214) 217-5600Areas of Law: Domestic Violence, Immigration, Naturalization
Good to Know: Services are by appointment only. They provide a broad range of immigration counseling and representation to immigrants and their families.
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Justice for Our Neighbors (JFON)
Grapevine First United Methodist Church
422 Church Street
Grapevine, TX 76051
Tel: (214) 381-0901Area of Law: Immigration
Good to Know: This organization provides immigration legal services to low-income immigrants.
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Mosaic Family Services
4144 North Central Expressway
Suite 530
Dallas, TX 75204
Tel: (214) 821-5393Areas of Law: Immigration, Domestic Violence, Human Trafficking
Good to Know: This organization provides comprehensive social services for immigrants and refugees and legal representation in both immigration and family law to immigrant survivors of crime, such as domestic violence and human trafficking.
Seniors
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Legal Hotline for Texans
Tel: (800) 622-2520Areas of Law: Consumer Matters, Housing and Public Benefits, Wills and Probate, Guardianship, Taxes, and Personal Injury.
Good to Know: Volunteer attorneys are available to answer basic legal questions via phone free of charge. Persons eligible for services are Texans 60 years of age or older, Medicare recipients of any age; nursing home residents of any age, and victims of violent crime and their family members who are indigent and either 60 years of age or older, a person with a disability, or a person unable to access legal services locally.
Veterans
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Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans
Tarrant County Chapter
Tel: (817) 546-4460This organization assists military veterans and spouses of deceased veterans who cannot afford or do not have access to the legal services they need by offering legal clinics and maintaining a pro bono volunteer attorney network.
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Texas Veterans Legal Assistance Project
Tel: (800) 622-2520, Option 2Areas of Law: Family law, Employment, Housing, Consumer protection, Bankruptcy, Probate, Department of Veterans Affairs benefits, Military Discharge Upgrades.
Good to Know: This is a free, statewide legal services hotline. To receive services you must be a Texas resident, U.S. military veteran (or the spouse, dependent, or surviving spouse of a veteran), and have household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines.
Law School Clinics
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Texas Wesleyan Law Clinic
1515 Commerce
Fort Worth, TX 76180
Tel: (817) 212-4123Good to Know: The law school offers limited legal assistance through the legal clinic, which focuses on family law, children's issues, and social security and SSI disability.