Legal Aid in Shawnee Explained
Legal aid exists to help people in need unfurl the law’s complexity. In its simplest form, legal aid is a government service. It is free and provided strictly to those who need assistance in dealing with civil matters that affect their daily lives. These can include child custody actions, eviction complaints, bankruptcies, and personal injury lawsuits, but don’t include criminal proceedings, which receive district attorney offices’ full attention. In this sense, legal aid serves as an alternative to the private bar.
Shawnee, Oklahoma, gets its legal aid from the Oklahoma Bar Association (OBA), a membership group of public service attorneys and other professionals. Eligible residents can receive aid on civil matters. The OBA’s Lawyers for the Public Service program doles out short-term assistance to those who work in the public interest , including domestic violence resource groups, government programs, and nonprofit organizations. There are no income requirements for membership, and annual dues amount to approximately what you’d pay for a decent bottle of wine.
A less traditional approach to legal aid exists through associates from international law firms. This is lawyers from a variety of backgrounds who are impaneled by the bar to work on specific cases. They gain court approval to participate in what’s sometimes called pro bono litigation. Legal aid therefore promotes equal access to the law for everyone, including some of Shawnee’s most vulnerable residents.
Major Legal Aid Organizations in Shawnee
As in many U.S. states, Oklahoma offers free or low-cost legal aid to those who qualify based on income and special circumstances. Legal aid services aim to help people understand and implement their rights in civil matters.
Oklahoma has several avenues for acquiring free or discounted legal services. There are federally-funded programs administered by communities throughout Oklahoma. Shawnee residents can also tap into legal aid clinics provided through law schools and private non-profit community organizations.
Here are the primary options available for accessing legal aid in Shawnee:
Rural Area Legal Services (RALSA) reaches 16 counties in Oklahoma, including Pottawatomie County. RALSA helps those who are low-income, elderly, or suffering from disabilities. While services are free, RALSA does require clients to meet income guidelines in order to receive assistance.
RALSA has a regional office in Oklahoma City that serves Shawnee. Call (405) 549-7714 to make an appointment in Oklahoma City or call (580) 323-7086 for the Shawnee office. The Oklahoma City location is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Shawnee location is open Wednesdays at 205 E Main St., Suite 220.
The Oklahoma Bar Association has a website dedicated to helping people who need legal assistance. Their "Find a Lawyer" tool helps those in need of legal aid connect with resources throughout Oklahoma. The statewide network of lawyers helps low-income people find representation in civil cases. A new feature, "Tell a Lawyer", allows low-income Oklahomans to enter a request for counsel, which lawyers from across the state will review to see if they can assist. The services are provided through the efforts of hundreds of volunteer attorneys, who fulfill a minimum of pro bono hours each year.
The Oklahoma Bar Association also offers "Law Referral Services" that allow residents to connect with local lawyers. Shawnee residents can reach the Law Referral Service by calling (405) 416-7008. The Shawnee listing includes 18 lawyers and law firms that can provide legal counsel and representation in a variety of specialties.
The University of Oklahoma College of Law offers a free walk-in clinic in Norman, OK – outside of Shawnee – for those in need of legal assistance. Students in the legal clinic provide consultation for simple civil matters. The clinic is open to all residents and does not require pre-qualification. Participants will pay nominal fees (such as court costs), and cannot be represented by outside lawyers in the clinic.
Legal aid services are available to all residents of Pottawatomie County who meet eligibility requirements. Shawnee residents can take advantage of several legal aid resources in Shawnee and nearby cities.
Applying for Legal Aid
Applicants should take time to prepare and gather necessary documentation prior to applying for legal aid. This will ensure the process goes smoothly and any questions that may arise can be answered before the application is submitted. The steps for applying for legal aid are as follows: 1. Determine your eligibility for legal aid or find out if your case type is covered. 2. Access all relevant information, including any financial records, property and asset information, and spouse and child information that may be needed. This information should be categorized in order to expedite the process of finding specific numbers when filling out the application. 3. Analyze the information you have. If a question requires a decision to be made or an opinion to be formed, determine if this question will be asked on the application. If you cannot answer the question, seek the advice of a legal professional prior to completing the legal aid application. 4. Fill out the application form. If you have already obtained legal counsel, this section may be completed with their assistance. If you do not have legal counsel, this section may be completed with the assistance of the legal aid organization. 5. If you are having difficulty completing any portion of your legal aid application, contact the organization providing legal aid or legal aid itself to ask for assistance.
Common Legal Matters Addressed
A range of legal issues are routinely addressed by legal aid services in Shawnee, OK. One of the most common case types are family law disputes. When a child is at risk, this may be a divorce case that involves substantial child custody litigation. Or, if the parents were never married, the case may focus on establishing legal paternity for the purposes of obtaining child support. In cases where child support or spousal support has been ordered but is not being paid, a topic addressed at legal aid is enforcing a court order for these payments. Clients may also turn to a legal aid service in the community for help with guardianships and adoption.
Housing issues are another area of focus for legal aid clients. Many of these cases involve rental properties. Tenants may be seeking justice in the case of a landlord who fails to maintain a property so that it is safe and secure for tenants. This may include heating or air conditioning that is in disrepair or unsafe electrical wiring. In the case of a Section 8 tenant, a legal aid service may step in if public housing officials are not fulfilling their obligations under federal law.
Other housing issues addressed by legal aid in Shawnee, OK revolve around ownership and requires the service to focus on issues of real property law. This might include a case where a newly vested heir of property is being denied access. In this situation, for example, the legal aid service would step in to obtain access to the real property and help facilitate an inventory and perhaps, a sale of the property.
One of the most unfortunate case types that legal aid may involve itself with is domestic violence. This is a situation where pro bono attorneys may help a client file for protection from abuse orders and to move forward with a divorce filing and matters related to child custody. A new trend among those who have faced domestic violence is to simply leave the area and start over without alerting an abusive partner to this fact. For clients in this situation, legal aid can step in and help secure a divorce while maintaining privacy at the new address and working with the court system to ensure that any existing final orders are enforced even from a distance.
Requirements for Legal Aid in Shawnee
For those seeking legal aid in Shawnee, OK, eligibility requirements vary and are determined by the individual programs. The majority of programs in Shawnee require that applicants be low-income. While individual income limits differ between programs, generally they can be broken down into three categories: Additionally, some cases are excluded from legal aid services in Shawnee. Most commonly , legal aid programs do not provide representation on criminal matters (including domestic violence offenses, like assault on a female) or traffic violations. However, cases often prosecuted by the District Attorney’s Office are eligible for legal aid, such as an appeal for a protective order that is granted, eviction, and debt collection cases. Also, applicants must be citizens or residents of Shawnee, which can include Native Americans who have a legal residence on a reservation land.
Pros and Cons of Legal Aid
Legal aid services provide many advantages to low-income individuals or those who may be overwhelmed by a legal system that often seems out of reach. These benefits include:
- Professional, compassionate guidance in a variety of case types
- A network of support providers increased knowledge of local resources
- Cost-free services, even though there is ultimately a fee for service Legal aid generally also provides an option for those who are not yet ready to move forward with a private attorney. Every legal aid service provider has a slightly different mission. Some are strictly volunteer-based and serve only clients with criminal cases, while others offer a much broader range of services and case types. As such, the exact advantages of legal aid services vary by area and client need.
One of the major limitations of legal aid services in Shawnee, Oklahoma, is that they often provide fewer and narrower services than those offered by most private attorneys. In addition, legal aid services in Shawnee tend to support clients and individuals who are located within the surrounding area. For those who may have difficult living situations or medical illnesses which render them unable to travel, getting to the legal aid center to be seen can be a significant hardship.
Another limitation of legal aid services is simple: sheer time. Many legal services are run by a small number of dedicated volunteers or staff members. Even a handful of civil legal aid services in Shawnee, Oklahoma, are run by the local bar association, which operates with relatively limited resources. As such, it is often the case that legal aid services cannot accept all cases or provide recommendations to other services when the need exists, simply because they lack the experience and availability to do so.
Other Legal Resources
For those who don’t qualify for legal aid—I’ve met countless individuals in Shawnee who are in desperate need of assistance but fall just outside the parameters of traditional legal aid. Thankfully, alternative services do exist. Depending on your income and the complexity of your case, there are a few options to consider: Community services, pro bono lawyers, and online legal tools.
Community Services – Shawnee provides various support services for low-income individuals. Community Action Project (405-273-2700) is a local resource that can assist with a variety of social services, including SNAP, LIHEAP, and prescription co-pay assistance. Another option to consider is Sunbeam Family Services (405-310-7826), which provides legal aid assistance and self-help resources for those who qualify. Reach out to one of these services to see if they can help .
Pro Bono Lawyers – There are a few pro bono lawyer programs available in Shawnee, such as the Volunteer Attorneys for the Indigent Oklahomans (VAIOS). If you qualify for their services, you can obtain free legal representation for certain types of cases. Alternatively, if you are an attorney yourself, VAIOS also has opportunities to volunteer and offer legal counsel to individuals in need. If you are a lawyer or know of a lawyer in Shawnee, I feel confident VAIOS would make a great option for you.
Self-Help Legal Tools – The Oklahoma Bar Association has several resources available to the public. There is a hotline (888-529-3530) for legal questions and a library of online resources. Some of the most popular online documents are Divorce with Children, Child Guardianship, Child Custody and Support, and Name Change. If you’re interested in these services, check out their website for additional resources and helpful links.