Legal Aid in Bryan, Texas: An Overview
Legal aid, fundamentally, is about access. It ensures that those who cannot afford to hire an attorney, have a way to receive legal services and representation, no matter their situation or geographic location. In Bryan and BCS, legal aid is essential to support those who face pressing legal issues in very important areas of their life. Legal aid means having help through grief, financial issues, family crisis, and more. The legal aid services here are primarily provided by Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid (TRGLA) in coordination with the Mission of Mercy, the Brenham Pregnancy Center, and the Austin Bar Association.
TRGLA provides comprehensive legal services to those who cannot afford an attorney. They operate across the Texas-Mexico border and provide free legal help to neighborhood residents. The organization’s mission is to help people understand their legal rights and responsibilities and equitably exercise those legal rights. The free legal aid programs help clients deal with interference in their lives from their landlord or manager, their insurance company, their employer, abusive spouse, thief, or foreclosure. The free legal help also extends to consumer rights protection, education, employment rights, employment, health, housing, immigration, family protection, personal planning, social security, and tax issues. The organization serves all of Central and South Texas , and each year, they provide access to justice to 20,000, low-income children, women, men, and families who can’t afford a lawyer.
Mission of Mercy has been providing no-cost, charity dental clinics/programs to the underserved since 1993. They assist in giving high-quality compassionate dental care and education to uninsured people. The organization works towards meeting the oral care needs of adults and children without insurance. The program promotes oral health education and good oral habits to patients and their families. The program also works to treat patients with chronic pain resulting from oral care issues. They provide treatment from general hygiene, extractions, gum disease treatment, and pain to advocacy for patient referrals for more complicated procedures to local dentists.
Austin Bar Association provides free help to those who cannot afford an attorney. They represent many in family law, probate, guardianship, and probate matters. The legal services can include issues in finance, suicide, domestic violence, sexual abuse, sexual assault, family crises, supporting children with special needs, and addiction. The groups help with mental health issues, bullying, suicide, depression, divorce, and immigration issues. They follow up with people calling to receive assistance in taking their case and aid in at least one free counseling session with the goal of finding solutions.
Top Legal Aid Organizations in Bryan, Texas
The main legal aid providers in Bryan are the Brazos Valley Legal Aid Clinic and the University of Texas—Austin School of Law Civil Rights Clinic. Both of these organizations have a long history of providing quality legal services to individuals in need within the city.
The Brazos Valley Legal Aid Clinic, a branch of Lone Star Legal Aid, has operated out of the area for over 40 years, providing free information and legal aid services to low-to-moderate income people residing in the region. The Clinic does this through a variety of methods, including general consultations, family law brief consultations, landlord/tenant consultations, consumer brief consultations, employment brief consultations and brief consultations for estate planning. Individuals can receive help with divorce and modification, child support and child custody issues, guardianship and termination/adoption. Property and debt issues, foreclosures, credit reporting and identity theft assistance is also available. The organization also assists with a range of criminal record issues, including nondisclosure orders, expunction, personal injury and social security claims and appeals.
The University of Texas—Austin School of Law Civil Rights Clinic has a more recent history, having launched in 2011 to assist all civil rights victims who are in need of pro bono representation and advocacy before state, local and federal agencies and courts. The organization, which has national and international reach with a special focus on the Central Texas area, pursues a range of issues including aggressive policing tactics, immigrant intimidation and the repression of dissent.
Beyond their primary work, both of these organizations provide or are involved in a variety of other activities that promote their greater purpose.
Legal Aid Eligibility Requirements in Bryan, Texas
The threshold question for anyone seeking legal assistance who cannot afford an attorney is whether they qualify for legal aid. The criteria for eligibility will largely depend on the organization, but all legal aid services follow certain basic guidelines.
For most legal aid programs, the first step is income. If you are seeking services from Legal Aid of Northwest Texas or Legal Aid of Central Texas, then you must earn less than 125% percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. The Federal Poverty Guidelines are set every year by the Department of Health and Human Services and are primarily based on the cost of living. For 2018, the Guidelines are as follows:
Keep in mind that due to increases in the cost of living, the poverty guidelines are adjusted annually. When applying for legal aid services, be sure to provide the legal aid organization with a complete list of your monetary and non-monetary assets. You may also be required to provide some sort of verification of your assets.
In addition to the income requirements, legal aid organizations also will ask whether your legal issue involves a domestic violence scenario. Unfortunately, legal issues involving domestic violence are very common. The process of getting a divorce, seeking spousal support or determining child custody, when dealing with domestic violence, is much more complicated. Also a victim of domestic violence may need to seek a Protective Order. As such, if domestic violence is involved, priority is usually given to such cases.
Some legal aid programs offer services specific to veterans. To qualify for these services, you must first verify your status as a veteran by providing a copy of your DD-214. Depending on the program, veteran services could help you with a variety of different issues, including: VA benefits; wills and powers of attorney; landlord/tenant; child support and visitation and state VA tax exemptions.
Applying for Legal Aid in Bryan, Texas
Navigating the justice system can be a daunting task. For those who cannot afford a private attorney, legal aid is a lifeline. In Bryan, Texas, legal aid services are available through a variety of organizations. Knowing how to access these services is the first step to ensuring you receive the representation and support you need. This section provides detailed instructions on applying for legal aid in Bryan.
The process for applying for legal aid varies depending on the organization you choose. Generally, it involves contacting the organization, either in person or over the phone, to see if you meet the eligibility requirements. After that, you will likely need to fill out an application form. The form will ask a series of questions about your current situation and the type of legal assistance you are seeking. Providing thorough and accurate information will help the organization determine your eligibility more quickly and efficiently.
In addition to the completed application form, you may need to provide supporting documents. These could include proof of income, residency, and any relevant legal documents pertaining to your case. Keep copies of everything you submit to the legal aid organization. It’s also wise to note the date you applied and the name of the representative you spoke with, in case you need to follow up later.
When filling out your application, be sure to provide as much detail as possible. For example, if you are going through a divorce, include information about your spouse, any children you may have, and your current living situation. The more information you provide, the easier it will be for the legal aid organization to determine the appropriate assistance.
If you do not qualify for legal aid, or if there is no organization able to take your case, don’t lose heart. You still have options. Many times, there are sliding-scale private attorneys who offer legal work at reduced rates. Legal aid organizations often maintain a list of private attorneys who offer reduced-fee services. You can also browse online legal aid resources, such as TexasLawHelp.org, which may have a self-help module or tool that helps you figure out how to proceed.
Be sure to follow up with the legal aid organization after you’ve submitted your application. If you haven’t heard back within a reasonable amount of time, give them a call, or visit the office in person to ask about your application status.
Legal Issues Commonly Handled by Legal Aid
Legal aid services specialize in federal, state, and local laws to provide information to those who are disadvantaged or economically challenged. Family law is one of the most common areas of law dealt with by legal aid services. Many clients need help creating a last will and testament or seeking guardianship over a minor child or an incapacitated relative. Others, may require legal expertise to file for divorce, child custody, and/or child support.
In the past few years, there has been a marked increase in the number of visitors seeking legal aid services to defend themselves against foreclosure. The goal of legal aid in these cases is to keep the family in their home and help them gain a more stable economic footing that they may come back to the table with the mortgage company to resolve their financial issues. Legal aid services in Bryan, Texas may also provide assistance to clients involved in a home modification program to get mortgage payments on track through negotiation with banks and other lending institutions .
Another area where legal aid often gets involved is in the area of debt collection. Legal aid services can negotiate with creditors of their clients to get more affordable payment plans set up, often agreeing to longer terms that get smaller sums of money paid to the creditor instead of monthly installments. Legal aid services can review debt collection notices with debtors to be certain that there has been no fraudulent activity in the collection efforts, i.e., cases where debtors have received bills for debts that they do not owe. More rarely, legal aid services may deal with bankruptcy proceedings.
Other areas of law that legal aid services assist with are employment discrimination, landlord/tenant disputes, consumer concerns over unfair debt collection and consumer fraud, disability rights, health care, and immigration issues.
Legal Aid Success Stories in Bryan, Texas
An often overlooked aspect of legal aid services is the long-term impact they have on individuals and the community. The success stories are a powerful testament to the difference that legal aid makes in real-world situations. One example from our community involves a single mother who moved to Bryan seeking new opportunities. Upon receiving a promotion at work, she fell behind on her child support payments. Though it was unintentional, she became subject to arrest warrants, contempt hearings, and would face the possibility of jail time. She reached out to a local legal aid office, which was able to help her set up a manageable payment plan for the arrears owed. With the legal aid office’s assistance, this single mother was able to keep her job, avoid jail time and continue working toward financial stability. Another success story involves a domestic violence victim from Bryan. She was struggling with getting safe access to shared property, like children and vehicles, after leaving an abusive relationship. With the help of a local legal aid office, she was able to obtain a protective order against her abuser. The lawyer assigned to her case also assisted with a divorce and has been working with the client on custody arrangements. The impact of having access to qualified family law attorneys cannot be understated. In Bryan, this is especially true given how many families are suffering due to domestic abuse. The case of a Bryan area retiree serves as an example of how legal aid assists seniors. This gentleman was unable to settle an estate matter that had been ongoing for several years. After looking the matter up online, he found the Bryan area legal aid office. The client was in desperate need of help, and the attorney was able to assist. The issue was resolved quickly, and the senior’s estate settled. The difference that legal aid services make in the lives of individuals and families is undeniable. From helping the low-income to families in distress, each success story is unique. Similar to attorneys in other locales, those serving the Bryan area are making an undeniable impact on the success and well-being of their clients.
Other Resources for Legal Aid in Bryan, Texas
Beyond traditional legal aid services, there are numerous other avenues in Bryan, Texas, through which individuals in need can access legal assistance. Pro bono services offered by private lawyers are one option. The State Bar of Texas provides a statewide resources list for individuals seeking pro bono services. These services are provided at no cost and are dependent on the availability of volunteer attorneys.
Community legal clinics provide an opportunity for local attorneys to serve individuals who require legal assistance. These clinics are typically held on a monthly basis. Space is limited in these clinics and you must pre-register to attend.
Online resources such as LawHelp are provided to help individuals in Texas find free and low-cost legal aid in their area. This resource offers free information and resources about federal and Texas law and can help users figure out how to solve their legal problems.
Legal aid services in Bryan go beyond the few options that are made available through the LSBJ. Lone Star Legal Aid holds regular legal workshops known as Know Your Rights. These free workshops are held on a monthly basis and are open to anyone. During these workshops , members of the public may meet with attorneys, who answer their questions and provide a variety of information.
Individuals in Bryan can also call a legal hotline for information on finding a lawyer or to have their legal questions answered. The Call a Lawyer hotline operates Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A service of the State Bar of Texas, this hotline provides members of the public with information about general legal questions they may have. For free legal advice, dial 800-252-9690.