Legal issues are never fun, and they are worse when you can’t afford a lawyer. It seems like there are more lawyers than there are people but there aren’t enough people to pay for the lawyers. The average legal bill is at least $500 per hour for services rendered, and that does not include going to court or the cost of filing paperwork at the courthouse, etc. If you’re reading this, then you might be in a position where you need a lawyer and cannot afford one or are looking for help for a loved one who is in that predicament. So without further ado here are some ways that you can get legal help without paying.
Apply for legal aid
Depending upon your case you may qualify for legal aid but this is generally for criminal cases and not civil. There is also the public defender’s office but you should only use that as a last resort. Studies show that public defenders will do nothing more than try to get you the best deal even if you are innocent, they want to clear your file off their desk and move on to the next person on the list.
Get the services of a law student
Lawyers have to start somewhere so why not help out a law student by allowing them to work on your case for free. Most law schools will offer the services of trainee lawyers in exchange for school credit. This is a wonderful opportunity for a budding lawyer to sink their teeth into a case, and with the zealous nature of the young, you might even get a better outcome than you would from a seasoned lawyer.
Small claims court
If it’s an issue of money, you can go without a lawyer in small claims court. Small claims court has basic paperwork and oftentimes it’s a waste of money to have a lawyer when you’re only going after maybe a couple of hundred dollars. You have to think about what’s cost effective and when it comes to small claims court having a lawyer is not cost effective.
Represent yourself
They say it’s only a fool who represents himself or herself as the case may be, however there is nothing wrong with representing yourself in a court of law. There is no law that says you have to pay for over-priced services and not be satisfied when you don’t get the result you were hoping for.
Look for a pro-bono/contingency lawyer
Pro-Bono or contingency lawyers are a great choice for those who are in need. With a Pro-Bono lawyer, if you are not familiar with the term they will not charge anything for their services. With a lawyer on contingency, you pay for the services after you win the case. If you do not win the case, you still do not pay the lawyer any fees because he is working on contingency only. There are many wonderful lawyers out there who will represent you for free or on contingency. Douglas Healy is one of those lawyers and has several years of experience and is an excellent and more than qualified lawyer.
Try mediation
Mediation is a great way to avoid the courts and even get a quickie divorce. The mediators are usually persons who have the right to practice binding arbitration, which means that their decision is final and cannot be stricken from the record, or re-determined at all. If you have a little money, then a mediator would be cost effective. If you do not have any money, or less than the mediators fees, ask if they (the mediator) will accept a lower rate, or has a sliding scale fee policy.
The Takeaway
You should never have to worry about paying for a defense when you need it. We all deserve the right to have legal representation, especially the most vulnerable in society who cannot understand or navigate the law without a helping hand from someone who knows it well, someone like Douglas Healy. Defense under and from the law is a sacred right that everyone deserves regardless of the situation be it monetary or personal. Douglas Healy accepts the former statement as cannon and will do everything in his power to protect and defend your rights, regardless of your financial status