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OTHER LEGAL RESOURCES |
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American Civil Liberties Union
of Georgia (ACLU) The ACLU is a public interest law firm. The ACLU defends civil liberties through public education and by litigating precedent-setting legal questions to protect the rights of all Georgians. American Immigration Lawyers Association Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation, Inc. (AVLF) The Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation provides civil legal representation to low-income Georgians primarily through the use of volunteer lawyers. The AVLF's clientele are Fulton County residents with the exception of City of Atlanta residents. AVLF also sponsors the following other programs: Guardian Ad Litem Program: (404) 521-0790 Saturday Lawyers Program: (404) 521-0790 Catholic Charities Atlanta, Inc. The Catholic Social Services is an outreach ministry rooted in the gospel which provides services to those most in need and vulnerable. CSS also provides services to immigrants. Child Support Services Clayton County Pro Bono Project Clayton County Pro Bono Project is a civil legal referral program that refers individuals residing in Clayton County to volunteer attorneys. To qualify the individual must meet the program's income and asset guidelines. The Clayton County Pro Bono Project handles matters pertaining to adoption, child custody, consumer/finance, divorce, domestic violence, guardianship, landlord/tenant and probate. DeKalb Volunteer Lawyers Foundation The DeKalb Lawyers Foundation provides, through volunteer lawyers, civil legal services to indigent DeKalb County residents who cannot or would not be served by existing legal services programs. They handle matters including, but not limited to, domestic relations, landlord-tenant, general litigation, wills and trusts, real property, social security, bankruptcy, debtor-creditor, nonprofit corporation, foreclosure, fraud, guardian ad litem, juvenile law and employment. Family
Law Information Center/Fulton The Family Law Information Center was developed to assist individuals who wish to represent themselves in family matters or wish to educate themselves about family law issues. FLIC is a part of the Fulton County Superior Court Family Division pilot project. The forms provided on this site are approved for use in Fulton County. If you would like to use these forms in other Georgia counties, speak to the clerk of the Superior Court in that county to determine if there are any local differences or requirements. See also: Family Law Information Center/DeKalb Family Law Clinic/Gwinnett ForeverFamily Formerly known as AIM, Foreverfamily works to ensure that, no matter what the circumstances, all children have the opportunity to be surrounded by the love of family. We focus our efforts on children with an incarcerated parent or parents and support them as they, their parents, caregivers and extended families work to remain a family. Fulton County Human Services Department The Fulton County Human Services Department is a unit of Fulton County Government. The Department is organized into five divisions that respond to defined categories of need of Fulton County residents. Office Of Aging Services: This division administers programs and services to senior citizens, such as home delivered meals, senior center services and congregate meals, information & referral case management, homemaker/chore services, adult day care, transportation and volunteer services. Division of Emergency & Transitional Housing: This division serves as the liaison between the County and other community based services that provide services to the homeless. Jefferson Place Emergency Shelter- provides night shelter for 125 adult homeless males. Jefferson Place Transition Housing - offers structured living for 50 adult homeless males. Office of Disability Affairs: This division monitors the County's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and assures that persons with disabilities have equal access to buildings, programs, services, and employment opportunities offered to the general population of Fulton County. Grants Management & Community Partnerships: This division manages the County's coordinated delivery of human services through collaborations with nonprofit agencies. These collaborations include human services grant awards, technical assistance, joint planning and service delivery with community based organizations. Division of Children & Youth: This division offers a continuum of prevention programs capable of increasing protective factors and resiliency in children and youth. Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta Atlanta Legal Aid can refer clients in need of starter (not replacement) furniture to the Furniture Bank. It provides used furniture to people referred to them by their partner agencies.The Furniture Bank is always in need of donations, so if you or someone you know is replacing or has no more need for some gently used furniture, please refer to their website to learn how such items can be donated. Georgia Advocacy Office, Inc. (GAO) The Georgia Advocacy Office serves Georgia citizens with physical and/or mental disabilities who have been or are being discriminated against free of charge. GAO investigates abuse, neglect and rights violations, as well visits state psychiatric hospitals, prisons, jails, foster care settings, group homes, private psychiatric hospitals and other places. They will also provide legal services if the issue is a legal one and will go to court, as a last resort, if it is necessary. GAO also helps people to get reestablished in their community in ways that provide safety, adequate treatment, respect, and friends and neighbors who take active roles in their lives. Georgia First Amendment Foundation The Georgia First Amendment Foundation conducts free workshops on state open government laws, and their applications; they report open government violations occurring throughout Georgia, and the appropriate interpretation of the law, in their quarterly newsletter; they provide literature concerning open government activities; they write letters of inquiry to public agencies querying their compliance with the state open government laws; they file amicus briefs on open government disputes throughout the state; and they post pertinent laws and sample information on their web site. Georgia Innocence Project The mission is to use DNA testing to free those wrongly prosecuted. Because of the high volume and limited staff, the Project asks that you request help in writing by regular mail, not by phone or e-mail. Georgia Justice Project Georgia Justice Project carefully selects which clients and cases it takes on, and agrees to represent indigent individuals accused of crimes only if those individuals are willing to work, accept counseling or treatment, and pursue job training or educational opportunities so that they will be better equipped to live more productive lives once their legal problems are behind them. Georgia Law Center for the Homeless The Georgia Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty provides representation for the homeless throughout Georgia in civil cases in Federal and State courts, as well as administrative proceedings. They also handle cases at both the state and federal level addressing systemic issues, and provide representation in matters pertaining to landlord tenant cases, consumer cases, zoning conflicts, child deprivation, foster care issues, wage claims and employment related issues, they also prepare domestic violence protective orders, as well as handle many other civil matters. Georgia Lawyers for the Arts The Georgia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts serves the legal needs of the artists and art organizations of Georgia. GVLA answers legal questions from visual artists, writers, performers and musicians and makes referrals to pro bono lawyers; they give free legal advice to nonprofit arts organizations with budgets under $500,000; and GVLA conducts workshops on topical issues relating to the arts and the law including contracts and copyrights, taxes and record keeping, and nonprofit incorporation. Georgia Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Georgia's Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program works to improve the lives of residents of long-term care facilities. The program informally investigates and works to resolve complaints on behalf of residents. Ombudsmen routinely visit long-term care facilities to check on residents and to monitor conditions. Ombudsmen work on behalf of the resident, and will intervene in a problematic situation with the direct permission of the resident or representative. Ombudsmen are knowledgeable about laws and policies governing facilities and agencies that may be helpful in particular situations. Atlanta Legal Aid's Long Term Care Ombudsman Program is a part of this program. Georgia State Department of Human Resources, Division of Aging Services The Georgia State Department of Human Resources, Division of Aging Services provides services to individuals 60 years of age and older in every county in Georgia. Their services include: Elderly Legal Assistance Program, which provides civil legal services, information and education in a variety of areas; Community Care Services Program, which helps elderly and/or functionally impaired individuals to continue living in their homes and community by providing a variety of support services; Alzheimer's Disease Program, which provides services to people with Alzheimer disease and their families to enable them to stay in their own homes as long as possible; Senior Nutrition Program, which provides nutritious meals and nutrition and health education to older Georgians; Adult Day Care Program, which provides adults with health, social and support services in a center during the day; Congregate and Home Delivered Meals are provided to groups in settings such as senior centers and to individuals who are temporarily or permanently homebound; Transportation Services Program, which enables clients to get to medical and social services including adult day care and senior centers, as well as other community activities; Homemaker/Chore Services Program, which helps people to stay in their homes by providing helpers who perform routine household tasks; Community Service Employment Program, which provides part time community service jobs for people 55 and older and helps them find non subsidized jobs; Health and Insurance Counseling Assistance, and Referral for the Elderly Program, which assists seniors with issues involving Medicare, Medicaid, Medicare supplemental insurance, long-term care insurance, and other health insurance. Georgia State University College of Law Tax Clinic The Clinic provides representation to taxpayers who otherwise would be unable to afford representation in disputes with the Internal Revenue Service. Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs The Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs protects consumers from unfair or deceptive business practices. They have telephone counselors available to assist consumers with complaints Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. They accept complaints in written form only, which must contain a detailed explanation of the complaint with copies of all important documents. Justice Center of Atlanta, Inc. (JCA) The Justice Center of Atlanta's stated mission is to "Relieve the emotional and financial costs of conflict wherever it occurs, as rapidly as possible." The JCA offers mediation services, usually without charge, in cases ranging from small claims and misdemeanors to multimillion dollar claims. The types of disputes they will handle are: Domestic problems involving family members, neighborhood disputes, landlord tenant disputes, claims over money and personal property, allegations involving misdemeanors, juvenile disputes, business related disputes, educational disputes, work place disputes, personal injury claims, disputes involving churches and congregations, public policy disputes and land use and zoning issues. Latin American Association (LAA) Cobb County Gwinnett County The Latin American Association provides Latino families and individuals with basic transitional services in order to facilitate integration into the larger community, with the goal of fostering within the community an awareness of the presence and contribution of Latinos. LAA also advocates on behalf of Latinos, provides employment services, citizenship and other immigration assistance, English language/literacy instruction for adults, a mentoring program, summer youth internships, school enrollment, case management, translation/interpretations, a seniors program and other valuable family services. The LAA's legal department primarily handles immigration cases. National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) NVLSP is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization devoted to increasing national understanding of the plight of America's forgotten veterans and their families while working to support the interest of needy veterans. NVLSP achieves its mission through education, advocacy, and public policy programming, and through active litigation. NVLSP has also written a series of self-help guides, such as how best to present a claim for disability benefits available to Vietnam veterans and their families due to exposure to herbicides such as Agent Orange; the health problems experienced by veterans of the Gulf War and how to obtain VA disability benefits for these illnesses; and the VA benefits available to family members of veterans and surviving family members of veterans who have died. Raksha, Inc. Raksha primarily serves the South Asian immigrant community in domestic violence, elder abuse and immigration cases. Other services include crisis intervention, information and referrals, interpretation and translation, individual and family counseling with children and adults encompassing a variety of issues. Raksha promotes cultural sensitivity and provides technical assistance on the unique needs of South Asians to law enforcement agencies, social service agencies and health care providers. Samaritan House of Atlanta/Cafe 458 The Samaritan House of Atlanta provides services to homeless men and women looking for full-time, permanent employment. Services include job counseling, voice mail, breakfast, shower facilities and clean clothing. Southern Center For Human Rights The Southern Center for Human Rights is a public interest group that challenges the discriminatory use of the death penalty and the unconstitutional treatment of inmates in prisons and jails throughout the south. The Center represents people of color, poor people, people with mental illnesses and other disadvantaged people facing the death penalty at trials, on appeal, and in post-conviction and clemency proceedings. The center also challenges inhumane conditions of confinement and encourages the use of alternatives to incarceration to reduce prison overcrowding via media, advocacy, and civil rights litigation. Southside Legal Center (SLC) The Southside Legal Center is a pro bono legal services program which provides legal services to residents of the southside Atlanta. The area served covers from I-75/85 on the west to Grant Park/Zoo on the east, I-20 to the north and the federal prison on the south. The SLC provides legal services for family law, housing, real estate law, guardianships and business law matters to people within the specified geographical area whose incomes do not exceed a certain multiple of the threshold for legal aid services. Unless they are eligible for legal aid, clients of the SLC are asked to pay a flat fee of $50.00 (which is donated to charity), plus costs for routine items. SLC's services are largely intended for those, within the specified area, whose income is too large for legal services and too small to hire an attorney.
State Bar of
Georgia Pro Bono Project The Pro Bono Project assists local bar associations, individual private attorneys and communities in developing pro bono private attorney/bar involvement programs in their areas for the delivery of Legal services to the poor. TAPESTRI, Inc. TAPESTRI, Inc. is a coalition of ethnically diverse advocates working on issues of violence against women, primarily in immigrant and refugee communities. TAPESTRI uses culturally competent and appropriate methods to counter domestic violence, sexual assault and exploitation. The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Project The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program provides free attorneys to veterans and their qualifying family members who have an appeal pending at the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (Court). If an appellant has filed an appeal with the Court and has been unable to obtain his or her own attorney after 30 days, he or she can request assistance from The Veterans Consortium. Women's Resource Center To End Domestic Violence The Women's Resource Center provides services to survivors of domestic violence and their children. They also host a 24 hour crisis hotline, provide confidential emergency shelter, peer support groups, legal advocacy, lesbian/bisexual help line (404 377-3040) and support groups, parenting classes, community outreach parenting education, and a host of other community programs. |
Georgia Legal Services Program (GLSP) The Georgia Legal Services Program provides free civil legal services to low-income Georgians from twelve locations throughout Georgia. Excluded from their jurisdiction is the five-county metropolitan area, served by Atlanta Legal Aid. The twelve locations serve distinct geographic regions, totaling 154 counties, by "circuit riding" from their respective offices to local communities. The GLSP locations and the counties they serve are as follows: Albany Regional Office Augusta Regional Office Brunswick Regional Office Columbus Regional Office Dalton Regional Office Gainesville Regional Office Macon Regional Office Piedmont Regional Office Savannah Regional Office Valdosta Regional Office Waycross Regional Office Migrant Project Landlord-Tenant Helpline Finding a Private Attorney You can find an attorney in your area through local bar associations. See the State Bar of Georgia website for listings or Local and Voluntary Bar Associations. The State Bar of Georgia also has consumer information on "How To Choose a Lawyer" and "Lawyers and Legal Fees." Public Defenders in Georgia See the Georgia Public Defenders Standards Council. Legal Services in Other States Legal Services Corporation Recipient Agencies Family Violence: Where to Get Help Every year, Atlanta Legal Aid helps hundreds of families who have been victimized by violence in the home, with protective orders, divorces, and other court orders. Unfortunately, violence causes many other kinds of problems. Atlanta Legal Aid works in partnership with agencies that provide other supports for victims of domestic violence. Services include emergency shelter, support groups, 24-hour crisis lines, community education, counseling, transitional services, prevention education, children's support groups and legal advocacy. If you need help because of violence in your home, call the shelter for your county: Clayton County Cobb County DeKalb County: Fulton County Gwinnett County For Immigrant and Refugee Women in Metro Atlanta:
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