What is Community Legal Services?
Community legal services, or CLS for short, are a critical part of the fabric of legal support for vulnerable communities across the United States. Specifically, community legal services offer free and low cost access to legal support for those who otherwise cannot afford private legal representation in order to "level the playing field" and ensure that no one goes without legal representation.
In Prescott, AZ, community legal services are provided by Community Legal Services of Arizona (CLSA), a part of the Arizona Legal Center network. The local CLSA office in Prescott provides a wide range of services, including access to free legal advice, free and low-cost attorney representation, and assistance in locating the appropriate non-profit legal aid service for your needs.
CLSA is a charter member of the Alliance for Justice. The Alliance for Justice, advancing justice, fairness, and equality in the U.S. legal system. As such, the Prescott community legal services network is committed to delivering access to justice to vulnerable community members.
As with most community legal services, the CLSA in Prescott is designed to meet the needs of low-income individuals . The majority of services from the CLSA are provided at no charge, limited charge, or on a sliding pay scale based on monthly income.
There are numerous qualifying factors that are considered when determining whether individuals are eligible to receive free and low-cost legal services from the CLSA. These include annual gross income, whether individuals have been previously convicted of a crime, and proof of U.S. residency.
Assistance is available in a broad range of areas and legal categories. For example, civil law matters such as adoption, divorce, child custody, alimony, tenant’s rights, consumer law, foreclosure, and bankruptcy are all topics that legal aid representatives can assist with. Farmers facing issues with the U.S. Department of Agriculture are also able to find assistance with their disputes, as are veterans who require free or low-cost legal advice.
Individuals who are interested in utilizing community legal services in Prescott, AZ, should make sure to bring as many documents as possible with them to their initial appointment. Ideally, they should also be prepared to answer a few questions brought forth by the legal aid representative to determine which services are most appropriate for their needs and circumstances.
Types of Services Available
The spectrum of legal services provided by community legal services organizations often encompasses a wide array of critical issues that affect the daily lives of residents in Prescott, AZ. A central focus for these nonprofit organizations is usually providing assistance in fundamental areas of family law, which can be particularly devastating to low- and middle-income families. This assistance may include help with divorce proceedings, child custody disputes, guardianship matters, and adoption cases, among other areas. In many cases, individuals cannot afford private representation in these complex family law matters, and community legal services can provide much-needed relief.
Two additional areas where you can typically count on many Prescott, AZ, community legal services organizations to assist are housing-related problems and consumer rights issues. Issues such as homelessness, eviction, and confidentiality rights are often prevalent concerns in housing matters, and nonprofit legal services organizations can typically provide help to individuals facing these challenges. For those facing complex consumer rights or class action issues, many local community legal services agencies will work with individuals to litigate those claims when appropriate. Further, some legal services organizations will help litigate employment disputes such as wage theft, discrimination in hiring, or wrongful termination.
Qualifying for Community Legal Services
To qualify for community legal services in Prescott, AZ, certain eligibility criteria must be met. Applicants must typically be residents of the service area, be low-income or low-income seniors, and have a civil legal matter to resolve. In some cases, eligibility for these pro bono services may extend to new graduates entering the workforce, military veterans and their families, and other vulnerable members of the community. To apply for access to community legal services in Prescott, AZ, individuals may need to submit a request through their local legal aid office. Applications may also be submitted online. In most cases, a free consultation is scheduled as the first step in the process. While walk-in services may be available in some instances, prior notification is strongly encouraged to ensure that adequate representation can be secured. Applicants must typically provide documentation to support their request for services. This may include proof of income, which can vary by provider. In some cases, a household income of 125% of the federal poverty level may be needed to qualify for services. In Prescott, AZ, the necessary documentation may include a Social Security card, proof of military discharge (if applicable), and a birth certificate. Additional documentation may be requested depending on individual circumstances.
Main Organizations for Legal Aid
Here are the key organizations and bodies in Prescott, AZ that deliver community legal services:
Disability Law Arizona
They are a private nonprofit corporation dedicated to advocacy for persons with disabilities. They provide legal representation to persons with disabilities or those who contribute in projects to further the independence of persons with disabilities in the state. The firm’s service is made available in the entire state.
Personal Legal Services Arizona
The firm provides general legal services as well as low-cost consultations and they specialize in straightforward legal issues. You can get a 30-minute consultation which is available at $39, and your personal legal service consultation comes with a free 10-minute follow-up session within one month. They are available Monday through Friday by appointments only.
Arizona Department of Economic Security
The department provides basic information regarding a wide range of legal services and how much they will cost. Their office is located at 3300 N Central Ave., 1st Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85012.
Phone: (602) 542-4791
Fax: (602) 364-0257
LawHelp
This is a website provided by the Arizona State Bar Association that contains a list of Michi Rayo-McMahon’s articles on various legal topics. You can find out how to prepare your own Will, how to expunge your criminal record and various other preparatory forms and guides.
You can see a selection of them here:
Preparing a Will
Expunging a Criminal Record
Limited Conservatorship
Affidavit of Death of Spouse
Investment Account (Payable on Death)
Notice of Name Change
Affidavit of Heirship for Personal Property
Emergency Temporary Exclusive Use and Possession Order
Power of attorney for Health Care
Declaration of Guardian of an Adult
Application & Affidavit for Appointment of Guardian
Arizona Business Corporation
Limited Liability Company Articles of Organization
Notice of Appointment of Conservator
If you are interested in online training, you can take these free classes on domestic relations law, including interviews and preparation of pleadings with forms that are provided for individuals who wish to represent themselves in court. For instance, you can get access to detailed information on divorce, legal separation, modification and enforcement of spousal maintenance, parent-child disputes, uncontested adoption, third-party custody, modification and enforcement of child support and other timely updates, such as termination of parental rights, signature recognition, anti-bullying provisions and spousal support calculations.
Advantages of Community Legal Services
Community legal services have become indispensable in our ever-evolving society. These services act as a bridge over the gap in access to justice for those who may otherwise struggle to secure legal representation. By providing free or low-cost legal assistance, community legal services ensure that everyone, regardless of their financial situation, has the opportunity to receive essential legal support.
One of the most significant benefits of community legal services is their ability to empower individuals and families within our community. With this empowerment comes the confidence to navigate the complexity of legal issues. Community legal services often provide legal education, workshops, and resources aimed at demystifying legal processes and creating a more legally-savvy society. Legal clinics run by local nonprofit organizations or law schools often answer basic questions and educate community members on the process of dealing with a variety of legal matters, no matter how big or small.
Further, community legal services are frequently a lifeline for vulnerable groups, including low-income families, the elderly, people with disabilities, refugees, and victims of domestic violence. Nonprofit organizations offer services and guidance in areas such as family law , immigration, criminal defense, and tenant rights. By offering these services, community legal services can turn situation of despair into hope by ensuring equal access to the law.
Moreover, community legal services contribute significantly to the overall health and vitality of local communities. When people know they have an avenue, however narrow, for accessing legal assistance, there is a greater sense of security in knowing their legal interests are safe. Community legal services help mitigate risks on both personal and economic levels.
Finally, community legal services fill a significant gap by relying on the expertise of legal professionals, such as attorneys, paralegals, and law students. While some may volunteer their time, others may provide services on a pro bono basis. Even though pro bono services constitutes a small portion of total legal services provided, it is these seemingly minor matters that often prevent people from meeting their full legal potential.
For those who are unable to afford legal representation, community legal services act as an invaluable asset. Ultimately, community legal services prove that providing low-cost legal support is not only vital to those in need but is indispensable to a more just society.
Achievements and Client Feedback
For Maria to get custody of her children, she would need an attorney. She just didn’t have the money. In all, a relative had to pay her bill for one hour with a Prescott attorney. She then got direct assistance through Community Legal Services in Prescott. Community Legal Services helped free the children from their batterer father.
Paul did not think he and his wife Kathy had done anything wrong, but they found themselves being sued by their neighbors and facing a mountain of legal fees. They located Community Legal Services through the State Bar of Arizona’s website and became part of "Operation Enduring Freedom," which had started out simply helping veterans but grew to include active-duty military personnel and their families, as well as anyone who has ever served in the military.
Adam and his wife were being squeezed between being parents and still trying to pay off college loans. Adam went to school on a football scholarship, and he got into financial trouble when he was laid off from his job a year after graduating. Adam got in touch with Community Legal Services and, through their legal clinics offered at the Prescott College, he was able to sign up for a free bankruptcy consultation. Unfortunately, Adam ended up needing a lawyer’s help—a qualified creditor’s representative—and he got a referral to a local attorney for $39 (which is not actual legal advice, though). Adam could now afford to keep his family together in their home.
Difficulties in Providing Community Legal Services
Given the high demand for their services, as a community legal service provider, they are also faced with a number of challenges and limitations. Ms. Washington cites that "We don’t have a lot of funding for our programs. We have a huge amount of need in our community, which is good, but sometimes limits our ability to meet the need if we don’t have the help."
While many of the most common legal issues may be currently met through volunteer work, often, there are gaps that require paid legal assistance. Unfortunately, because the community legal services are funded by donations and grants, they can only afford to staff their organizations with more volunteers and bar members. One of the biggest challenges is to expand what they do to include all legal matters. In the past, they were only able to assist with civil matters, however, Ms. Washington mentions that, "For qualifying individuals, we now represent people in their criminal cases." This allows the community legal services to provide general representation and representation against filing fees for things such as "unemployment insurance, veterans issues, chapter seven bankruptcy, and civil matters," as well as representation for determining visitation rights for grandparents, or obtaining guardianship over grandchildren.
With a top priority to prioritize legal assistance to low-income individuals, community legal services, such as the Yavapai Legal Aid Society, strive to provide a full range of legal services through their program; however, they are still limited by available funding and resources.
Since they only have 2 attorneys on staff (in addition to 5 board members who are all volunteer attorneys), and 2 contract attorneys, the limited funding is often a struggle. Outside of their staff, they depend heavily on the volunteer work of the established legal community, and members passing the bar. However, even with their current staff and volunteer work/ assistance, there are still some boundaries limiting what services they may provide.
Ms. Washington explained that "Community legal services have programs to address all non-criminal issues", but they are not able to provide legal assistance for every issue, such as immigration. While community legal services typically provide assistance and representation for many issues, such as "evictions, disillusion of marriage, complicated guardianships, petitions for emancipations," there are certain cases that will have to be passed onto other legal entities.
Outside of their own communities, community legal services also provide training to other providers, which allows them to expand and better improve access and quality of legal justice across the state. "We guide, coach, and train about different issues," explained Ms. Washington.
Ways to Support Community Legal Services
Community legal services are essential for ensuring that low-income residents have access to legal representation and advice. However, many organizations struggle to meet the growing demand for services. There are several ways that you can help to support these vital community resources.
Volunteering your time and services provides community legal services with the ability to focus on clients rather than administrative needs. Many organizations are in constant need of volunteers who can answer phones, provide legal research services, or perform other needed office functions. These opportunities help free up lawyers and other staff to do the work of providing legal services.
Many community legal service organizations have specific volunteer programs that they coordinate that community members can participate in. These volunteers are often dedicated to providing legal services to those who don’t have representation or cannot afford a private attorney. Depending on the organization , volunteers may also have the ability to participate in community outreach events or mentoring programs.
Most importantly, advocacy helps to ensure that community legal services continue to get the attention and funding that they require. Community legal service organizations receive funds through private donors, grants, and fundraising. Legal services are a vital lifeline for many people throughout the community, and it is important to make sure that government officials know how important it is to continue to provide them with support.
Community legal services are a vital part of the legal field and the community itself. They provide legal representation and advice to low-income residents in Prescott, AZ who are otherwise unable to afford it. Due to the growing number of people who find themselves in need of legal services, community legal service organizations need your support now more than ever.