Legal Aid is cutting its hours
Budget cuts are becoming so common they hardly attract attention any more. State governments look for ways to do more with less and without losing essential programs. The sad reality is that constituencies who most use government - the poor, ill, or otherwise disadvantaged - are the most affected. Last week the state bar's nonprofit legal aid program announced new restrictions on its senior hotline: limitation of free services to low-income seniors, and hours to three days per week.
The Senior Legal Hotline enables low-income seniors aged 60 or older to speak with an attorney regarding legal advice on consumer, family law, landlord-tenant, public benefits, wills and probate, and other non-criminal legal issues. "Low income" is defined for this purpose as at or below 125 percent of federal poverty guidelines.
Beginning today the Senior Legal Hotline (866) 345-0106 will now be staffed Mondays and Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to 11:00, and Wednesdays from noon to 2:00 p.m. (PST). Over the last three and a half years the hotline has assisted 5,900 seniors with legal advice and services.
Legal Aid also provides other services, including certain legal forms and a domestic violence hotline. Victims of domestic violence who need a protection order or divorce may call (877) 500-2980 Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (PST). Low-income status is not required at this time for advice only.
It's always risky to draft your own legal forms. Rarely are two cases the same and so often pro se or do-it-yourself litigants don't realize the effect of generic language, or missing language, may have on their rights and obligations. Nevertheless, for those who can't or don't wish to hire an attorney, the State Bar as well as the courts do provide certain basic, commonly used forms. Available on Legal Aid's website www.legalaid.org/selfhelp are forms for:
• Family law - Petition for divorce and answer
• Domestic violence - Protection Order Petition
• Landlord/tenant - Notice for repairs, eviction, respond to eviction
• Name change - Adults or minors
• Small claims court forms
• Powers of attorney, advanced directives, living will
• Collections - Claim of exemption
• Guardian's annual report form
Much more information is available at www.legalaid.org. Because the nonprofit's mission is public service, they are always in need of private donations and attorneys willing to provide free or reduced services.
Sholeh Patrick is an attorney and a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. E-mail [email protected].