Low Cost Legal Aid
Do you need legal advice but hesitate to get it because you're afraid of what the lawyer might charge you? Read on about low cost legal counseling and the LRS (Lawyer Referral Service).
September/October 1970
By the Mother Earth News editors
DO YOU NEED legal advice but hesitate to get it because you're afraid of what a lawyer might charge you?
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Not many people know that for a fixed fee of $5 to $10, they can get low-cost legal counseling in over 260 cities of the country. About $5 to $10—that's the average price range for a half-hour consultation with a private lawyer, who is also a member of his local bar association. In some cities the price is as low as $3. In a few, such as affluent Beverly Hills, California, it goes up as high as $15.
This low-cost legal help is available from the Lawyer Referral Service (LRS), organized nationally by the American Bar Association and sponsored by local bar associations. LRS is not offering charity; its purpose is to provide quick and inexpensive help for any person who needs legal advice but holds off for fear it would cost more than he can afford.
Last year over 200,000 people throughout the country used the LRS. Many were women, some of them members of church, social, and community groups in need of legal advice. Many people involved in small business also sought legal counsel from the LRS.
A little more than half of all the people using the LRS have their legal problems resolved during a single visit. If you require more than the initial half hour, a full hour is often available for an additional small charge. If the legalities involved require intensive study and attention, you are referred to a private lawyer. His charge will be based on the standard local fee for the work involved. At the first meeting he should state the fee and spell out the work to be done for you. If he does not, you should ask; preferably right at the start of your discussion. Studies indicate that an overwhelming majority of the people who use the LRS come away satisfied with the results.
The greatest number of cases brought to the LRS each year concern family law. This includes marital and juvenile problems, alimony, adoptions, and even namechanging. Other common categories include accident and personal injury cases; buying or selling a house or other property; zoning and property taxes; disputes with landlords or neighbors; trusts, estates, and wills; contracts, installment loans, and consumer credit; and criminal law.
If you have a legal problem in any category and do not have a lawyer, the LRS offers an excellent and inexpensive way to determine where you stand and what you should do. For example, if you need a will, the LRS can suggest a good lawyer to draw up one for you. A will, as a matter of fact, may be the most important single legal document the average person will ever sign. If a man dies without having left a will, the results could be disastrous for his widow and children.
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