Calling the Help Line or Applying Online
Updated December 2020
Introduction
The Center for Arkansas Legal Services and Legal Aid of Arkansas, Inc., are nonprofit organizations that provide free legal help to low-income Arkansans.
If you need help with a legal problem, have a question you think a lawyer should answer, or have been sued and do not know where to turn, call the helpline.
If you are unsure about whether your case qualifies or you meet the eligibility requirements, here are a few good things to know:
How to Call
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If you are not sure whether your issue is a civil one, or are unsure if you fall within our income guidelines, please call and let HelpLine guide you.
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You must call on your own behalf, not someone else's.
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Please, gather documents and facts relevant to your call before calling, so we can help you as quickly as possible
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Click on this Sheet to find Contact Information and Hours of Operation. We serve all counties in Arkansas.
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Helpline: 1-800-9-LAW-AID (1-800-952-9243) or 501-376-3423
How to Qualify
HelpLine is here to help those in need of urgent legal help. To qualify, you must be an Arkansan [i] who falls within our income guidelines. You must also call about a civil matter; criminal issues (such as traffic tickets) and fee-generating cases (such as those involving personal injury) are not acceptable reasons to call HelpLine.
Eligible Issues
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Contract disputes
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Debt relief
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Disability rights
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Domestic abuse
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Employment rights
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End-of-life instructions
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Evictions
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Garnishments
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Guardianships
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Landlord and tenant disputes
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Orders of protection
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Powers of attorney
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Public benefits (Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, Transitional Employment Assistance [TEA], Supplemental Security Income [SSI], child care, and subsidized housing)
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Wills
Types of Cases
We provide free civil legal services (non-criminal cases). There are many types of civil cases we handle.
Some examples by topic:
- family law: adoptions, custody, visitation, guardianships
- elder law: garnish of social security, housing issues
- consumer or debt: bankruptcies, debt collection defense
- public benefits: SSI appeals
- housing law: landlord-tenant, public housing cases, foreclosures
- other non-criminal issues
Income Limits
There are income limits. We provide free legal aid to low-incomes Arkansans. You can view our financial eligibility guidelines at arlegalservices.org/guidelines.