Legal Aid Outreach Schedule

Legal Aid of Arkansas, Inc., a non-profit corporation established to provide free legal assistance to people who can not afford to hire an attorney, has announced that it will offer outreach services in Cross, Independence, Lee, Mississippi, Monroe, St. Francis, Searcy and Woodruff Counties.

’’Although our Helpline has been well received by the community as the primary means of accessing our services.’’ said Lee Richardson, Executive Director of Legal Aid. ’’Some folks are more comfortable discussing their legal problems in person with an attorney or paralegal.’’

Legal Aid serves 31 counties in North Arkansas with offices in Fayetteville, Harrison, Helena, Jonesboro, Mountain View, Newport and West Memphis. In 2005, Legal Aid provided assistance to 4,832 individuals, with a direct benefit to 12,881 people.

’’We will have a paralegal or attorney available on a designated day each month at our Outreach locations to meet with folks and discuss their legal problems,’’ Richardson said. ’’ In many cases, we will be able to provide the necessary legal advice or services on the spot.’’

• Cross County- Cross County Health Department, 704 Canal Street, Wynne. Second and fourth Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m every month
• Independence County- Independence County Courthouse, 192 East Main Street, Batesville. First and third Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Lee County- Lee County Senior Citizen Center, 43 W. Mississippi Street, Marianna. First and third Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Mississippi County- Mississippi County Economic Opportunity Commission, 202 West Main Street, Blytheville. First and third Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and, Mississippi County Economic Opportunity Commission, 404 South School Street, Osceola. Second Monday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Monroe County- East Arkansas Strategic Planning Initiative, 112 N. New Orleans Street, Brinkley. Second and fourth Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• St. Francis County-Arkansas Land and Farm Development Corporation, 117 N. Washington Street, Forrest City. Second and fourth Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Searcy County- Searcy County Civic Center, Zack Road, Marshall. First and third Fridays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Woodruff County- Courthouse Annex, Augusta. Second Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

No appointment is necessary, but clients must meet eligibility guidelines and program priorities prior to receiving services. Common legal problems that Legal Aid can provide assistance with include domestic violence, public benefits, consumer, education, housing, landlord tenant, health, elder law, and family law issues. Legal Aid does not handle criminal or fee generating cases.

’’Everyday low income Arkansans appear in court without an attorney in serious civil matters. These disputes involve rights protected by law and require an understanding of the law, but poor litigants have no mandated right to counsel in civil cases,’’ said Richardson. ’’The earliest principal of law was to protect the powerless from the powerful. Our goal is to provide equal access to justice for everyone. We would like to thank all our partners for providing free space for us to meet with clients. Together, we can work to make this goal a reality.’’

Legal Aid of Arkansas is funded in part by a grant from the Legal Services Corporation, and is a United Way member agency in Blytheville, Washington County, Independence County, Benton County, Boone County, United Way of the Mid-South, and receives funding from the United Way of Greater Jonesboro.

To access services by phone applicants can call the Legal Aid Helpline at 1-800-9 LAW AID (1-800-952-9243).