i need a lawyer and don't have money, what can i do?

Here's how to find legal help if you can't afford a lawyer: Contact the city courthouse. Seek free lawyer consultations. Look to legal aid societies. Visit a law school. Contact your county or state bar association. Go to small claims court.

Full Answer

How to hire a lawyer with no money?

Frequently, the people who need an attorney the most are also the ones who can least afford to pay for one. Whether accused of a crime, injured in an accident, or facing the possibility of losing your children, there are many situations where the stakes are so high that you might desperately need an attorney even though you have no way to pay.

Why do you need an attorney?

Nov 15, 2019 · If you’re considering how to pay for a lawyer with no money, the best thing to do is interview several different law offices and ask about their payment plans. Offices that allow you to speak directly to an attorney will be best; an attorney will be more sympathetic than a large corporate intake department.

How to afford an attorney?

Jul 11, 2020 · In other words, even if you have no money to your name, you can still hire an experienced, skilled personal injury lawyer to represent you, and the lawyer will get to work advocating for your interests without you paying a dime upfront. If the lawyer cannot recover compensation, then the lawyer does not get paid, either.

How to find a free lawyer?

Apr 29, 2020 · In short, if you don't have the time to self-educate, and if you can't find enough free legal advice to help you have your day in court, it's a wise decision to …

How Do Lawyers Charge Their Clients?

If you want to know how to pay for a lawyer with no money, it helps to know exactly how lawyers determine their fees. Standard legal fees typically...

What is a Lawyer Retainer?

When a criminal defense attorney is asking you to pay a significant amount of money for legal aid, it helps to know exactly what you are paying for...

What are Flat Fees?

Flat fees are agreed-upon fees for a specific activity or for all tasks in your case up to a specified point. Some clients want to pay an attorney...

What to do if an attorney is not forthcoming?

When you are figuring out how to pay an attorney with no money, you need transparency with the attorney you choose.

What happens if an attorney wins a case?

At the end of the case, if the attorney wins, they take their fees out of the client’s award. If the attorney loses, the client pays nothing. This works in favor of both client and attorney. The client doesn’t accrue costs upfront, and the attorney has an incentive for a quick and rewarding outcome.

What is contingency fee?

For some clients, contingency fees are how to pay for a lawyer with no money. The contingency fee arrangement means that the lawyer’s payment is contingent on winning the case. The client will pay nothing or very little out-of-pocket. At the end of the case, if the attorney wins, they take their fees out of the client’s award.

How do contingency fees work?

Knowing how contingency fees work is essential when you need to know how to pay for a lawyer with no money. But in a criminal case, there are no damages, and your defense attorney cannot promise you results. There are also no monetary rewards for successfully defending a case.

How many hours does an attorney take to resolve an issue?

An experienced attorney with a high hourly rate may resolve your issue with a few hours of work. A more novice attorney may take hundreds of hours to resolve the same issue. Thus the attorney with the higher hourly rate costs you less in the long run.

Do attorneys charge more for felonies?

If a lawyer is practicing in an area with high costs of living and high wages, they will naturally have higher fees. Complexity. Most attorneys charge higher fees for felonies than for misdemeanors.

Can I get a criminal lawyer in Phoenix?

This is beneficial to both client and attorney. Attorneys need cases, but they know that there aren’t many people who can afford to pay 100% of their legal fees upfront.

What information is needed to get a divorce lawyer?

Your current income, asset, real estate asset and debt are information that will ensure your free divorce lawyer. If the court finds that you are really unable to hire a lawyer at high price according to your financial status the court will find a lawyer who can work for you voluntarily.

How much does a divorce lawyer charge?

Your lawyer may negotiate this charge before beginning your case. The hourly rate also may vary because of the complexity of the divorce case. $50 to $300 may be charged for the lawyer service provided for your case.

What happens when a divorce is proven?

When your financial distress is proved, you will be granted to get a free divorce lawyer assigned by the court.

What is a waiver for divorce?

Waiver is available for the people who don’t afford to spend the cost of the divorce lawyer. This is arranged at every state level. The low income people has to clarify that they have lower income and they have to make sure at the court level. There are many formalities to get it because low income family has really low income.

What is flat fee?

Flat Fees. When a lawyer is not charging hourly rate, they can demand for flat rate. Flat rate is a specific rate which can be negotiated between you and your lawyer. If you afford to spend the flat rate, you may go according to your wish.

Why is divorce not a simple issue?

Divorce is not simple issue to resolve because there are strict legal bindings. The reality is really unfavorable because you are going to cut off the relation of the married life through divorce. As it is a legal process, you need to hire a divorce lawyer who can help you settle this issue. Hiring a divorce lawyer is really expensive ...

What is retainer amount?

Sometimes the lawyer can receive an amount before going your case. This is called retainers amount. This amount is adjusted with hourly rate. Some lawyer go this way to support your case for bearing the cost of the papers, evidence and case related documents.

Why do people need personal injury lawyers?

Because personal injury attorneys want to make it easy for injured people to reach out to find out about their legal rights. By offering free consultations, a personal injury attorney ensures that injured people have nothing to lose in connecting with a lawyer who might be able to help them.

What does a free consultation with a lawyer mean?

After a free consultation, the lawyer will usually give the injured person a preliminary assessment of whether he or she has a potential legal claim for damages.

Why do people work for contingent fee?

There are two basic reasons. First, working for a contingent fee gives the injured client access to high-quality legal services. Without contingent fee arrangements, many people who desperately need legal help to recover compensation for an injury would never get justice for the harm done to them.

What is personal injury attorney?

Free Consultations. A personal injury attorney represents people who have suffered unexpected, preventable injuries through no fault of their own. The attorney’s job is to recover money for those injured people from the individuals or entities whose bad decisions or actions caused the harm.

What happens when you get hurt in an accident?

People who get hurt in accidents and incidents beyond their control often face severe financial strain. Medical treatment for an injury can rack up huge bill s. Plus, many victims of preventable accidents miss time at work while recuperating, which limits their income. The last thing anyone struggling through the aftermath ...

Can you retain a lawyer for an accident?

If you or a loved one suffered injuries in an accident caused by someone else’s poor decisions or dangerous actions, then no matter how little money you have, you can retain a lawyer to represent you in seeking compensation for your injuries.

Do personal injury lawyers ask for money?

This means that the personal injury lawyer does not ask the client to pay any money up-front for the lawyer’s services. Instead, the client agrees to pay the lawyer a percentage of any money that the lawyer winds up recovering for the client. The lawyer’s fee is contingent on the lawyer getting the client paid.

What happens if you can't afford a lawyer?

In a criminal proceeding, if you can't afford legal assistance, a court will appoint an attorney for you. In a civil case, generally described as a dispute between two private parties, to get legal representation, you have to get creative. Here's how to find legal help if you can't afford a lawyer:

What is legal aid?

Legal aid societies are nonprofit organizations found in almost every corner of the country that provide free legal services to low-income people. While this is certainly worth exploring, the problem for many households is that the individual or couple makes too much money to qualify for help.

What does it mean to spend time in court?

And to add fuel to the fire, spending time preparing for a court case can mean losing wages or part of a salary. In short, if you don't have the time to self-educate, and if you can't find enough free legal advice to help you have your day in court, it's a wise decision to seek out a competent attorney.

What time does the Akron Bar Association answer legal questions?

The Akron Bar Association, in Akron, Ohio, is an example of what's out there. You can call the second and fourth Fridays of each month from 9 to 11 a.m., as part of their Ask an Attorney Service, and they'll answer legal questions for free.

What happens if you lose a case?

That is, if you lose your case, you won't pay money, but if you win, the law firm will take a portion of the money awarded to you. However, it's important to tread carefully before picking a lawyer. Choose a reputable attorney and make sure the rate is agreed upon before the lawyer takes your case.

Who is Andrea Vacca?

Andrea Vacca is a collaborative divorce attorney in New Yor k City and the owner of Vacca Family Law Group. She says – at least with divorces – that "some courts offer free assistance to parties who want to fill out their own uncontested divorce paperwork."

Can a lawyer represent you on contingency?

It's risky for lawyers to take cases on contingency, and they need to be confident a judge or jury will side with you, and that there's going to be something sizable awarded to you. While no legal expert will suggest you represent yourself, it is an option if you're in a financial bind.

What to do if you have paid a lot of money for divorce?

You should first ask the attorney for an accurate accounting of time spent on the divorce for money paid. You may also seek the assistance of the court/judge of you feel your attorney has overcharged or billed you for this matter/representation.

What to do if you have paid $30,000 in 3 months?

If you have paid $30,000 in three months and nothing has been done, you should speak with the attorney and seek the advise of another attorney. F

What happens after a motion to withdraw is heard?

After the hearing on his motion, the judge will make a determination of denying his motion to withdraw, granting his motion to withdraw, or granting the motion to withdraw only after substitute counsel has been found, or if you consent to proceed pro se.

Can a judge order an attorney to remain on the case?

There is no chance that the Judge will order the attorney to remain on the case. If you have incurred $30,000 in 3 months and nothing has been accomplished, why would you want to remain with that attorney anyway? You would just have to continue to pay him money. If the other side has funds from which you can pay attorney's fees, then perhaps a change of attorney and a request for attorney's fees from the other side is appropriate.

Is a lawyer an indentured servant?

However, a lawyer is not an indentured servant and a court will not force your lawyer to work for free because you don't have money. Report Abuse. Report Abuse. Please explain why you are flagging this content: * This will flag comments for moderators to take action. 0 out of 500 characters. * Please enter the explanation.

Can a lawyer withdraw as counsel?

In all likelihood, if the lawyer request that he withdraw as counsel and asserts valid grounds, the lawyer's request will be granted. The judge may order the attorney to represent you at a certain hearing or trial if the attorney's withdraw would jeopardize your case. Report Abuse. Report Abuse.

Can a judge order a lawyer to continue working on a case without compensation?

The judge will not order the lawyer to continue working on the case without compensation (you wouldn't continue to go to work each day if you weren't getting paid and neither will your lawyer); however, you may want to carefully review your invoices to determine how your attorney used $30,000 in such a short time.

Thomas James Daley

I agree with Ms. Henley and Mr. Harding.#N#One further resource is the Texas Legal Services Center (www.tlsc.org)#N#Good luck!!

Christopher Jay Harding

First, if she is going to divorce you, Texas law will not allow you to stop it simply because you still love her. Perhaps suggesting marriage counseling will help. But if she wants out, it is simply a matter of time.#N#That means you should be prepared. Know all of your financial situation and have...

Cynthia Russell Henley

I am sorry you are going through this.#N#If your wife wants a divorce, she can hire a lawyer to get the divorce. If you want to file for the divorce (or if she files so you will need a lawyer to answer), then I suggest you contact the local bar to find out if there are any family lawyers who do pro bono or low cost work.

You don't have to be a lawyer, just have it notarized

Q. I'm thinking of drafting my will myself. Will it be valid when the time comes, or do I have to hire a lawyer?

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