A legal dispute can arise from almost any type of relationship, and it’s important to be prepared for that eventuality. Whether you’re facing criminal charges, disputing a contract, getting divorced, or seeking damages in civil court, you will need someone to represent you. If you find yourself in one of these situations and don’t have the liquid assets on hand to pay an attorney’s fees, there are other options available to you. Here are a few ways you can obtain good legal representation for free or at a low cost.
Decide if You Really Need a Lawyer
You may not need to consult a lawyer at all in some situations. For instance, suppose you and your spouse are planning a divorce and it will be amicable. In that case, you may only need to fill out a few forms and submit them to your local courthouse. If you are facing a legal conflict, the first thing you should do is contact the relevant court to see what help they can provide. If it’s a simple matter that won’t require a hearing, you may be able to settle the matter with some paperwork. Contacting the area courts can save you time and money in certain situations.
Schedule Free Consultations
Attorneys will provide free initial consultations for certain types of cases, such as personal injury claims. If the same office handles other types of cases, such as criminal cases, they may still offer free initial consultations for those types of legal conflicts. Taking advantage of a free consultation can be very helpful even if you don’t hire an attorney. A lawyer will use the initial consultation to evaluate your case and give you an honest assessment of what you can expect in terms of the potential outcome. You can use this information to determine if you really do need a lawyer, and the initial consultation can help you determine how to proceed. For instance, you might find that pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge will save you time and money. In that case, you won’t need to hire an attorney.
Visit a Local Legal Aid Office
If you’re facing criminal charges, you can request a public defender for free to help you handle your arraignment and bail hearing. However, you should look for North Carolina criminal defense attorneys upon getting released on bail. A public defender will be extremely overworked and won’t have the time to devote to your case. You can still find free or low-cost defense attorneys by contacting the legal aid office in your community. They can connect you with attorneys who work with them to help individuals with low income afford good legal representation.
Contact Your State Bar Association
The bar association of your state can help you find attorneys in your community who are open to taking on pro bono cases. This means they will handle a certain amount of cases free of charge. There are no laws requiring attorneys in any field to do pro bono work, so it’s up to the individual attorney or law firm to determine if this is something they will do. Some will provide free representation as a means of giving back to their community, while others will only work pro bono on cases they find interesting. You may have to consult several attorneys before you find one willing to take on your case for free, but you can find representation if you’re persistent.
Inquire With a Law School in Your Community
If there’s a law school in your community, it can be helpful to contact them about your situation. While law students can’t represent you in court, they can offer legal advice and perform clerical work under the supervision of their professors. These tasks often fall under the services provided by a pro bono program that the law school sponsors. These types of services can help you deal with situations that don?t necessarily require you to appear in court for a trial.
If it’s at all possible, you should look for a law firm that handles several different types of cases. By working with the same firm to handle your business, familial, and criminal law conflicts, you may be able to keep an attorney on retainer. This can also reduce the upfront costs you’ll face in having to hire an attorney in an emergency.
