If you are low-income and need a lawyer, the New Hampshire Bar Association has some programs which might be able to help you.
Pro Bono is a program that links people with incomes at or below 125% of federal poverty guidelines with volunteer attorneys who provide representation at no charge.
Attorneys donating their time through Pro Bono handle a variety of civil (non-criminal) cases, including: custody, divorce, bankruptcy, debt collection, landlord-tenant matters, simple wills and other non-fee-generating matters.
How to apply: To receive help through Pro Bono, call the Legal Advice & Referral Center (LARC) at (800) 639-5290 or (603) 224-3333. LARC's application cannot be submitted on-line, but information is available at the LARC website.
LARC is a federally funded non-profit agency which provides information, legal advice and referrals to eligible low-income people. Depending on the legal matter, LARC staff will provide information and/or advice about your problem. If your case meets program guidelines, LARC will refer your case to Pro Bono.
If you are over 59 years old, the Seniors' Advice Line at New Hampshire Legal Assistance can also screen you for Pro Bono. You can reach the Seniors' Advice Line at 624-6000, or 1-888-353-9944.
Finding you an attorney: Once Pro Bono has your case, Pro Bono staff will try to locate a volunteer attorney in your area to represent you. This may take anywhere from several days to several months, depending upon the complexity of your case and the availability of the volunteer attorneys near your home.
The Domestic Violence Emergency Project - also known as DOVE - is a program that links volunteer attorneys with clients who need representation for a final domestic violence hearing. The scope of the attorney's representation is limited to the case which is filed as a Petition for Protection.
How to apply: To receive help through DOVE, contact your local domestic violence support center. The support center staff are able to provide a wide range of valuable services to victims of domestic and/or sexual violence. If your case meets program guidelines, they will attempt to match you with a volunteer attorney who will represent you in the domestic violence case.
To contact the crisis center nearest you, call our statewide toll-free hotlines
Sexual Assault Hotline 1-800-277-5570
Domestic Violence Hotline 1-866-644-3574 (toll free)
If you need further legal assistance after your domestic violence case is completed, you might be eligible for other services through Pro Bono (see above).
After you are linked with an attorney, Pro Bono/DOVE will monitor your case until its conclusion. During this time, you must notify program staff if your income changes to ensure you still qualify for free services.
While the services of volunteer attorneys are free, they are not responsible for "out-of-pocket" expenses incurred in your case. These include long-distance phone calls, copying costs, and other costs associated with your case. These expenses are your responsibility.
Operating a legal services program costs money. The trained staff and programming of Pro Bono and DOVE are brought to you by a variety of funding sources. These include the New Hampshire Bar Foundation's IOLTA Program, local United Ways, private contributions, the Violence Against Women Act and the generosity of New Hampshire Bar members.
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