Free legal assistance in West Virginia

If you are facing legal troubles there is an organization that may be able to help. Legal Aid of West Virginia assists thousands of people every year. While they can’t handle all cases, the amount of free legal advice they can provide to clients is extensive. The most common types of cases they help people with include those listed here. They focus on civil cases.

Rent, Foreclosure, Housing, Landlord-Tenant and Evictions

Qualified families and individuals in West Virginia can receive free legal advice on evictions, foreclosure advice and counseling, disputes with landlords and housing authorities, security deposit issues, unsafe rental units, and more. Lawyers can guide and represent people who are dealing with a foreclosures and / or an eviction. Those are some of the most common needs that families have today.

Advice for Family Law

• Contested Family Law cases defending child custody. Legal Aid of West Virginia can assist low to moderate income families when a custody case is filed against the parent who has been taking care of the children. The non-profit agency can also get involved in cases where the other side has a lawyer to help the parent who has been the “primary caretaker” for the children in the past.
   
• Help and Protection from Domestic Violence. Another service LAWV offers is they will represent victims of domestic violence and abuse who are trying to get protection orders.
   
• Other violence or abuse cases. The organization also represents victims of domestic abuse or violence in other types of Family Law and legal matters For example, you can get assistance and representation for dealing with a separation, divorce, or modification of previous court orders. In addition, lawyers may also represent, for free, people who may be trying to protect children from any type of abuse or neglect, even if the person does not have custody.

 

 

 

Federal and State Government Benefits Cases:

Legal Aid of West Virginia has attorneys who can help clients deal with government aid and assistance programs. They can direct you through the process, and help you deal with the various agencies. Including:

• Health Care and Medicaid cases in general, and these special types of Medicaid and government programs in particular:
• Medicaid coverage and coverage of nursing home costs
• The Government Medicaid Spend Down Program
• Help With the Aged & Disabled Medicaid Waiver Program (AD Waiver)
• Mental Retardation/Developmental Disability Medicaid Waiver Assistance Program (MR/DD Waiver)
• TANF (this is one of the West Virginia DHHR cash assistance welfare programs)
• Food Stamps and Benefits
• Unemployment and Workers Compensation
• WV Works (this is another WV DHHR cash assistance welfare program)
• SSI (Supplemental Security Income) - Social Security
• Social Security Disability (in some situations if someone needs financial support)

 

Consumer Bankruptcy Cases: Lawyers can also help advise you as to whether a bankruptcy is a good option for you to consider to assist with financial difficulties. If after reviewing your situation it is decided that a bankruptcy is a good idea and you have an appropriate case, Legal Aid can offer you a so called "clinic" to teach you how to file and complete your own bankruptcy case, as representation is usually not offered here.