Defining Legal Aid
Understanding Legal Aid Services in Grand Rapids MN
Legal aid is when low-income individuals cannot afford legal counsel, they may be eligible for "legal aid," which is much the same as a public defender. Legal aid is a program, funded in part by the federal government through the Legal Services Corporation, that seeks to ensure access to justice for individuals who cannot afford them in all legal issues . While legal aid generally deals with civil cases — which include family law, simple estate matters, landlord/tenant disputes, unemployment issues, etc. — it can also provide representation in criminal matters through limited-scope representation. It can also assist seniors with wills, housing issues, bankruptcy and health insurance issues, and can help with VA disability compensation claims. Legal aid is not free — it is typically offered on a sliding scale based on ability to pay.
Who Qualifies for Legal Aid in Grand Rapids
To qualify for legal aid services in Grand Rapids, individuals must typically meet income requirements. These thresholds often correspond to federal poverty guidelines. In addition to income, assets may also be considered in some cases, and there are exceptions made for certain groups, such as veterans and victims of domestic violence. These exceptions allow those who may otherwise be ineligible to qualify for assistance.
The types of legal issues covered by legal aid partly depend on the organization providing the assistance. Many firms or organizations will focus on family law, housing, employment, consumer matters and sometimes education. Each legal aid organization in Grand Rapids has its own focus, and some may be more likely to offer services to seniors and veterans if they specialize in certain areas. Others may limit their services and adopt an all-call system that allows them to evaluate matters on a case-by-base basis.
Potential applicants should be aware that the legal aid organization is not necessarily able, or likely to be able to, provide services in all cases. The organization may employ contract attorneys and provide limited referrals to community resources, so be sure to reach out if it seems likely that the matter does not involve an issue eligible for legal aid assistance.
Legal Aid Services Offered in Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids, MN offers a variety of legal aid services to the needy through a number of non-profit organizations. The services they offer are free or low cost to qualified individuals and families. Civil Legal Aid is a non-profit organization that aims to reduce or eliminate the gap between the legal services people need and the legal services they can afford. Legal aid may be available for needs such as family law, housing disputes, employment issues, benefits, government programs, immigration, foreclosure, bankruptcy, veterans, disability and more. All applications for assistance with these matters are handled via a telephone interview process. Another organization that offers free legal aid services in Grand Rapids, MN is the Land of Lakes Legal Aid. They offer two venues for help at their Greenway Clinic in Coleraine, MN and their Virginia, MN clinic. You may be eligible for assistance with issues such as bankruptcy, name or date of birth change, domestic abuse and child custody. Clients must either agree to allow their case(s) to be heard by an attorney intern, or pay a nominal fee for representation. Another non-profit that offers help to low-income families is the Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota, which has a clinic located in Grand Rapids. They distribute leaflets and pamphlets throughout Itasca County in an effort to educate the community on its rights and to make it easier for those who need legal aid to seek help. Legal Aid Service of Northwest Minnesota provides legal advice and representation for low-income persons and needy families in a variety of civil legal situations. They work throughout a number of counties to help with any range of civil legal matters, from obtaining legal guardianship for a child to filing for bankruptcy protection.
Applying for Legal Aid in Grand Rapids
Applying for legal aid services in Grand Rapids, MN is fairly straightforward and can be done through a few key locations in the area. The first step in the process is contacting one of the local legal aid offices, such as Northland Volunteer Legal Services or the Volunteer Attorney Program. These organizations exist to provide free court representation for low-income residents of Itasca County.
For those needing assistance, the process begins with an initial screening over the telephone. They will ask a series of questions to help determine eligibility. If you qualify for help, the first available volunteer attorney takes your case.
Northland Volunteer Legal Services is located at 603 NW 1st Ave. Suite 100 in Grand Rapids. They offer a wide range of legal aid services, including family law and bankruptcy. Currently, the office is open Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Friday, from 9 a.m. to noon.
If you need help right away, contact Northland at (218) 326-3433. Alternatively, email the organization at [email protected]. If you would prefer to send documents through the U.S. Postal Service, use the complete address above. All client information is confidential.
The second legal aid office near Grand Rapids is Court Appointed Special Advocates. This office is located at 206 5th St SE in Grand Rapids. Their mission is to provide services for children facing foster care, to help ensure that they remain in a stable environment.
To contact the office, either call (218) 327-8361 or email [email protected].
Grand Rapids Legal Aid Organizations
There are three major legal aid organizations serving the Grand Rapids area: The Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota (LAS) based in Duluth, the Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid (MMLA), which operates out of its Hibbing office, and Prairie Island Indian Community, a non-profit corporation which negotiates and delivers legal aid services to the people of Dakota tribal descent. While each group has its own areas of focus, they share common interests in the dissemination of information, coordination of legal service delivery, and the overall goal of providing the broadest possible access to justice.
The Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota (LAS) helps people in the 22-county northeast corner of the state. Its offices serve the counties of Aitkin, Becker, Beltrami, Cook, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Dakota, Douglas, Itasca, Kanabec, Koochiching, Lake, Morrison, Pine, Rice, Roseau, St. Louis, Todd, Wadena, Washington, and Wilkin. Clients who qualify for assistance are provided with experienced attorneys, at no cost, in addition to free legal information programs, legal clinics, and legal services for the elderly. In addition to the Duluth headquarters, LAS lawyers also work out of Four Lakes Legal Services and Three Rivers Legal Services – both located in Grand Rapids , MN. Four Lakes Legal Services is located at 10 NE 5th St. and Three Rivers Legal Services is located at 602 NW 3rd Ave and 718 SE 3rd Ave. The Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid (MMLA) provides legal aid services to those in need in Central Minnesota. Its mission includes the goal of helping low-income individuals have access to justice and higher incomes positively correlates with improved health, and lower levels of evictions and homelessness. The organization provides free civil legal aid to more than 7,000 low-income clients in 20 counties including Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pierce, Pine, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, Benton, Wadena, Wright, Chippewa, Douglas, Grant, Kandiyohi, Pope, Stevens, and Traverse. Its Hibbing office is located at 2100 1st Ave. South Ste388, Hibbing, MN 55746. One legal aid organization with no specific office location in Grand Rapids is the Prairie Island Indian Community – a non-profit corporation created in 2000 to assist Dakota people and for the purpose of delivering legal aid programs. In fact, it does not operate any physical book or lawyer’s offices for the public at large, but it does provide many legal services including screening low-income clients to see if they’re eligible for legal aid services, attending the MMLA’s pro bono clinics in Chisago County, screening clients for representation by a volunteer attorney, matching clients and attorneys, assisting MMLA attorneys with case management, and overall oversight and coordination of legal aid services in Minnesota.
Case Studies: Legal Aid Success in Grand Rapids
"God bless the people that helped me." These words are spoken by a Grand Rapids native that recently went through a very harrowing hostile court ordered guardianship process. It is said that it took six months to regain control of her home, and she was so severely demented at the end she could only recognize her son. It was due to the assistance of courtroom guidance, elder law information, and a benevolent attorney that she was able to accomplish what many thought was impossible. She and her son, who started out in a desperate state of disbelief, are now overjoyed at the results of her successful battle to regain her home from those who would take advantage of the situation. What this individual has been through has been replicated many times throughout the years. The 5000 people they have helped would have had to do without if not for the hard work and dedication of their staffs and volunteers. All the way down the line from intake to the actual hours in court and meetings with the client, each and every employee does whatever is necessary for the success of their clients. They have a demonstrated record of success across the board, working in harmony with the client to either remove fear or just to be there as needed. According to the Minnesota Nonprofit Association, 80% of those who encountered legal issues went without assistance in 2018. With your support we can bring this number down to where more and more low income people can receive the full protection of the law. Laws are complicated, and while they may be an equal opportunity protection, they are difficult to navigate without the assistance of those trained and educated to know the ins and outs of all our legal systems.
The Challenges of Legal Aid in Grand Rapids
Challenges Facing Legal Aid Services in Grand Rapids, MN
Despite the crucial role that legal aid services play in the community, many face significant challenges. One significant issue is the number of people who require assistance. Many legal aid programs are inundated with requests for help, yet do not have the resources to meet the high demand. During 2017, 53% of the applicants requesting legal aid services in Itasca County were provided with services. In 2018, the percentage of unmet need for service increased to 67%. Failure to provide legal aid services to applicant in need has a negative impact on the individual in need of services as well as for members of the community at large. The majority of unmet need results from lack of funding to provide services, particularly in areas of diverse legal need such as public assistance and debt collections, evictions, and family breakups.
Another challenge is the staff, whether they be lawyers or paralegals, that legal aid services programs are able to hire and afford to employ. Due to both financial and space limitations, many programs are understaffed, and are thus unable to adequately assist the many individuals seeking services. Further, volunteer lawyers provide valuable services within legal aid programs; however, when they are unable to handle their own caseloads, volunteer participation in legal aid programs suffers. In Grand Rapids, there are an average of 20 local volunteers providing legal aid to individuals in need . In response to the problem of limited legal aid staff members, the MN State Bar Association provides an extensive resource database on pro bono volunteer opportunities throughout northern Minnesota.
Funding also remains a serious problem; each year, fewer funds are available to assist individuals in getting access to quality legal services. Many individuals seeking legal services are not eligible for federally funded services due to income requirements. Legal aid programs, therefore, do not have enough money to assist the many applicants needing legal services. In an effort to combat underfunded legal aid services, the MN State Bar Association is calling on lawyers to donate more to legal services programs. Currently, only 28% of lawyers in the state of Minnesota donate to legal services programs, despite the fact that lawyers are responsible for taking certain pro-bono cases. Legal Services of NW MN has been working hard to increase contributions to the interest on lawyer trust accounts (IOLTA), which funds many legal aid programs. From 2013 to 2017, there was a reduction in IOLTA income by over 40%, which has had a significant effect on the services that can be provided to applicants. While contributions from lawyers and law firms to legal aid programs totaled over $24 million, this funding is still only about 50% of the amount of funding needed by legal aid service programs in order to provide adequate and quality assistance to those who seek legal aid.