Free help with the legal issues families actually face.

Do not skip the court date. Even if you owe rent, showing up to eviction court is the single most important thing you can do — many cases end in negotiated payment plans, and default judgments are much harder to reverse.

Call your local legal aid office the day you receive the notice. Many cities now guarantee a "right to counsel" in eviction cases for low-income tenants — meaning a free lawyer is assigned to you. Ask specifically about emergency rental assistance the court may consider.

Every state court system now runs self-help centers with fillable forms, filing instructions, and often free workshops on custody, divorce, and child support. Start at your county courthouse's self-help website or LawHelp.org for your state.

Law school family-law clinics take a limited number of cases per semester, often prioritizing complex custody or protective-order matters. Apply early in the semester and be ready to travel to the clinic for meetings.

Most benefits denials are reversible on appeal. Request a fair hearing (in writing, before the deadline — usually 60–90 days) and, if possible, work with a legal aid attorney who does public benefits appeals.

Social Security disability denials are appealed in stages: reconsideration, then hearing before an administrative law judge. Represented claimants win at the hearing level far more often than unrepresented ones. Attorneys for SSDI/SSI cases work on contingency (typically 25% of back pay), so you pay nothing upfront.