22. The Importance of Legal Aid

Most people and families in the US can't afford to hire a lawyer when they confront civil legal matters. Ironically, most civil issues affect people who belong to low or medium-income families. They think they don't have the financial backing to seek legal help from lawyers.

However, it isn't the truth, as the US government facilitates legal aid to assist these people in obtaining legal assistance.

Here, we will look into the importance of legal aid in detail with other relevant information that can be beneficial for you.

What is Legal Aid?

Legal aid is a service offered to low and middle-income families for non-criminal or civil cases. Here, the emphasis is on bringing equality and justice to all people in the US. Legal aid is available to everyone, irrespective of whether or not you are a citizen. In the US, there are different law firms, legal clinics, and Pro Bono service providers who can facilitate legal aid.

Looking at the history of legal aid in the US, it gained popularity in the mid-1900s. And by 1965, there were 157 legal aid organizations functioning in the US. The number has increased further with developments happening in the legal framework. In the US, most legal aid comes under the US Legal Services Corporation, or LSC, established in 1974. The LSC offers legal help to all US states, the District of Columbia, and other US territories.

Here, the LSC, funded by the federal government, provides financial backing to 132 independent NGOs operating in the US. These organizations offer legal aid to the deserved people as direct or indirect services. However, your annual income has to be less than 125% of the federal average to attain this assistance. As of 2017, the family income has to be less than $15,075. However, the authorities look into your family size and your legal issues too. Also, the guidelines can change depending upon the state you have filed your case.

The authorities can consider your expenditures, including medical expenses, debts, and childcare while evaluating your eligibility for legal aid in the US.

You can find out more about different LSC-funded organizations by visiting the official website of LSC. Some LSC-funded NGOs in the US include the Montana Legal Services Association and Legal Services of Dakota.

There are non-LSC-funded organizations that function independently without financial help from the LSC. These organizations will guide you without considering your financial situation under some scenarios. These include if you are a senior citizen, domestic violence victim, HIV+ individual, etc. Here, non-LSC-funded organizations will provide legal help without considering your financial situation.

Different Types of Services Furnished by Legal Aid

There are different ways by which legal aid can help you. Remember that this isn't just about providing you with legal advice or representing you during a trial. There are several other ways through which legal aid can become beneficial for you while residing in the US. Now, let's examine the various services offered by law firms, lawyers, and legal clinics as part of legal aid to create equal representation in front of the law.

● Direct Services

Direct services include legal advice that can assist you in finding out the problem you are facing and its possible solutions. Here, the lawyers will also offer representation to you in court during a trial. Most likely, you can get these types of legal services from legal aid attorneys and Pro Bono volunteers, including lawyers, law students, etc.,

● Indirect Services

Indirect services include providing community education and self-help guidelines. These services can be workshops, helplines, online chat, telephone conversations, etc. Lawyers can conduct training programs as part of creating awareness of different issues. There can be sessions on public benefits, domestic violence, tenant rights, etc.,

Apart from this, there are DIY toolkits with legal forms, sample letters, informative videos, downloadable firms, and other essential documents. You can use them to find relevant information if you are proceeding with your case with no legal help from a lawyer.

● Handling Systemic Issues

There are several systemic issues happening around us, and it is essential to handle them in the correct way to get the desired results. Some problems are in relation to data collection and the dilemmas faced by a group of people in a community.

These are the three situations where legal aid facilities help the people.

The Importance of Legal Aid

Legal aid is a help that comes with a variety of relevant aspects, and they include:

1. By providing legal aid, the authorities can provide legal assistance to all the individuals who might otherwise not gain legal help. This is an excellent way to help people belonging to disadvantaged groups.

2. Legal aid reduces the discrimination and inequality faced by the people in front of the law. It provides legal opportunities to everyone living in the US regardless of their financial background.

3. It is a way for weaker sections and minorities can gain representation and legal advice. Through this, there can be a reduction in the injustices and inequalities happening in the US.

4. Many people consider it challenging to get legal resources. But, with the assistance of legal aid, access to these resources, including legal advice, workshops, and downloadable forms, becomes easy.

5. By providing legal aid, the authorities can reduce the chances of having much larger and more complex civil issues.

6. Legal aid has a social impact as it benefits you and your community. It is a way to empower those who have been undergoing challenges, misrepresentations, discrimination, etc.,

These are the different benefits of legal aid to our society and the people living in the US. Through this, the US residents can access legal advice, representation, and other direct and indirect legal services with no hassle.