Self-help center for individuals choosing to represent themselves in court: - Helps self-represented litigants locate free or low cost legal services and programs, as well as mediation services - Provides information about the court process, practice and procedure - Provides instructions on how to complete court forms and review filled-out forms for completeness related to a variety of court proceedings, including civil actions, conciliation court matters, criminal expungement, family law (including child support, custody and divorce), landlord/tenant law, name changes and more. Staff are able to connect individuals with services that offer legal advice and guidance, however, they are not able to provide legal advice, strategy or research.

Legal services and representation provided to victims as they interact with the various systems that may be related to sexual assault. These include the criminal justice system, law enforcement, governmental entities, social services, civil attorneys and others. An attorney and legal advocate work specifically with victim/survivors on the sometimes complicated issues that can arise as a result of sexual violence. Legal services for victims of sexual assault including: - Applying for a protection order, known as an Order for Protection (OFP) or Harassment Restraining Orders (HRO) - Applying for Crime Victim Reparations (reimbursement for expenses due to the violence) - Applying for the Safe at Home Address Confidentiality Program - Assistance Writing Victim Impact Statements - Attending court and campus hearings - Ending a lease due to sexual violence - Follow up interviews with law enforcement or educational institutions - Legal advice and representation in civil legal matters including: - Divorce, child custody, and paternity - Employment - Housing (landlord/tenant disputes) - Immigration - Orders for Protection/Harassment Restraining Orders - Title IX (prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or any other education program) - Provide information about the criminal justice process - Reporting sexual violence, including trafficking and exploitation - Safety planning

Provides legal assistance and educational opportunities and resources. Legal issues covered include: - Debt collection - Divorce, parenting time, custody, or other family law issues - Employment - Impounded car - Landlord/tenant or property - Probate - Purchase or service contracts - Simple wills and health care directives - Any other civil legal issues

Provides legal services including: - Creditor problems and harassment by bill collectors - Contract-for-Deed issues - Custody and visitation issues - Divorce - Evictions - Family issues - Fuel assistance - Garnishment - Housing code violations - Landlord-tenant issues including leases, evictions, denials of subsidized housing, fair housing, repair issues, etc. - Mortgage foreclosures - Representation for General Assistance, MFIP, Food Benefits, and Medical Assistance - Unemployment compensation - Utilities - Supplemental Security Income Legal Clinics: Virtual advice regarding Bankruptcy, Family Law, and Social Security is available Home visits may be possible Legal Aid does not handle adoption, paternity, or wills, but special circumstance cases are considered Assistance may involve representation, advice, or referral. The demand for services is high and Legal Aid is unable to handle all requests for assistance. There are established case priorities and, in some instances, waiting lists have become necessary to allocate services. Advice appointments may occur in person, on the phone, electronically, at clinics, or outreach.

Education: many courses are approved for real estate credits - Three certification courses: Apartment Maintenance, Apartment Management, and Subsidized Housing - Legal seminars - Small owners courses - Leasing courses - Maintenance classes - Boiler Licenses - Subsidized housing courses - Full and half day conferences - Rental forms - Residential leases - Legal and management handbooks - Monthly magazine containing information on trends, taxes, legislation, maintenance, and other timely facts and tips - Annual product show for property owners: one step shopping offering up-to-date access and information on the latest technologies, equipment and services

Provides Minnesota's veterans with legal information, referrals, and legal advice regarding most legal topics. Legal representation services for veterans who are in housing court on a case-by-case basis. Veteran advocate lawyers are only licensed to advise on Minnesota state law but can connect veterans with legal resources in other states that will meet their legal needs. Legal clinics are also available across the state throughout the year to assist veterans with questions, legal forms, and counsel. Visit website for event details.

- Assists tenants in building apartment search skills, in learning tenant's rights and responsibilities, in learning budgeting/creating a debt repayment plan - Assists tenants in establishing an action plan to either eliminate, explain or correct problems associated with tenant screening - Assists tenants in building apartment search skills, in learning tenant's rights and responsibilities, in learning budgeting/creating a debt repayment plan - Assists tenants with obtaining and understanding tenant screening reports through education and advocacy - Eight hour Financial Literacy Certificate training - One-on-one assistance to address individual rental issues - Provides referrals to metro area vacancies (as available)

Provides free legal representation and advice to low income and other needy elderly. Case priorities for representation focus on problems that affect low income elderly. Callers who do not fit into priorities receive advice, or information and referral. Handles cases such as: - Abusive debt collection practices - Benefits: Food Stamps (SNAP), Medical Assistance (MA), Social Security Disability, Personal Care Assistance (PCA) - Elder Abuse - Health Care Directives - Housing: Eviction, Subsidized Housing, Reasonable Accomodations of disabilities - Nursing home issues (payment, conditions, and discharge) - Utility Shut-off assistance

Protective and Legal Services: - Orders for protection/domestic abuse - Restraining orders for harassment - Issues warrants, subpoenas, and executions on judgments Court and Legal Information: - Landlord/tenant information - Law library - Pro-se forms for self-representation - Information on other legal issues Coordination of Court Activities: - Coordination of public defenders (Public defenders need to be referred from the courts, individuals can not be self-referred.) - Coordinates and schedules court calendars - Coordination of jury selection Fees and Filing: - Collection and receipt of fees, bonds and escrow funds - Notary public - Files Notary Public registration, wills and minister credentials Marriage Ceremonies: - Performs civil marriage ceremonies

Administers legal programs and services through offices in Anoka, Minneapolis, Saint Cloud, and Wilmar. Helps eligible clients through direct representation, brief advice, and through participating in community legal education programs and clinics. Services include: - Family law - Housing issues - Public benefits - Employment - Criminal expungement - Consumer dept Does not provide representation in CRIMINAL law matters

Provides legal advice and/or representation in cases involving: - Denial of relocation benefits based on government displacement and non-return of security deposits - Discrimination - Eviction (Unlawful Detainer) - Illegal lockouts and utility terminations by landlords - Maintenance and repairs in rental housing - Mortgage foreclosures and cancellations of contracts for deed - Public and subsidized housing admissions and terminations

Services: - Temporary Restraining Order filing office - Abused Children and Adults services - Issues warrants, subpoenas, and executions on judgments Court and legal information: - Landlord/tenant information - Law library - Pro-se forms for self-representation - Information on legal issues - Notary Public - Files Notary Public registration, wills, and minister credentials - Performs civil marriage ceremonies - Publish Divorce Decrees - Divorce/custody records - Other legal records - Jury selection

Private attorneys agree to take cases for clients who have been screened through the intake process and either need representation in a matter that is not an area of Legal Assistance of Olmsted County's expertise, or where there is a conflict of interest. Areas of available legal assistance may include: - Consumer/financial law - Elder law/wills - Employment law - Family law - Guardianship/conservatorship law - Immigration law - Landlord/tenant housing law - Property/real estate law

Deals only with civil law issues, does not cover criminal law: - Attorneys will only advise on wills and do not draw them up - High priority for seniors with "consumer questions" since so many seniors are victims of consumer fraud Topics include: - Housing - Medical assistance - Powers of attorney - Healthcare directives - Harassing creditor phone calls - Garnishments - Long-term care - Income and benefits issues

Protective and Legal Services: - Temporary Restraining Order filing office - Issues warrants, subpoenas, and executions on judgments - Performs civil marriage ceremonies Court and Legal Information: - Landlord/tenant information - Law Library - Pro-se forms for self-representation - Information on other legal issues Coordination of Court Activities: - Coordination of public defender - Jury selection - Coordinates and schedules court's calendars - The department is responsible for processing and scheduling of Civil, Family/Probate, Criminal/Traffic, Juvenile, and Conciliation (small claims) cases through the court system. Court calendars reflect scheduled courtroom hearings, but they do not include all matters handled by the court each day. Confidential cases are not posted in this calendar, so if the case does not appear on the calendar, do not assume that court appearance has been cancelled or rescheduled. Fees and Filing: - Collection and receipt of fees, bonds, and escrow funds - Notary Public - Files Notary Public registration - Wills - Minister credentials Licenses and Records: - Divorce/custody records - Other legal records

Provides legal advice and representation to renters from: - Discrimination - Landlord harassment - Evictions - Poor housing conditions and secure emergency repairs - Prevent unlawful lockouts - Secure emergency rent assistance - Utility shutoff

HUD certified housing counselors provide assistance with navigating the rental process, information regarding legal protections, and advocacy. Counselors also help renters develop household budgets, determine financial assistance eligibility, apply for assistance, and identify an affordable place to rent. Provides free renter's rights and responsibilities workshops that address how fair housing laws protect renters, how affordable housing is calculated, the importance of insurance, and more. Workshops are hosted by a HUD-Certified Housing Counselor.

Provides legal advice and/or representation in cases involving: - Denial of relocation benefits based on government displacement and non-return of security deposits - Discrimination - Eviction (Unlawful Detainer) - Illegal lockouts and utility terminations by landlords - Maintenance and repairs in rental housing - Mortgage foreclosures and cancellations of contracts for deed - Public and subsidized housing admissions and terminations

Attorneys from Volunteer Lawyers Network spend about 15 - 30 minutes per client providing legal advice and/or brief services including: - Debt and credit issues/bankruptcy - Consumer issues - Housing including tenant/landlord - General civil issues - divorce, child support, child custody - Labor and employment Please note that persons receive free legal advice, not representation, from an attorney. The attorneys are volunteers and may have emergencies that may require them to cancel at the last minute.

- Advocates for change within the tenant screening industry and in public policies that negatively impact tenants in the area of tenant screening - Advocacy for tenants of substandard housing, facilitate contact with city inspections departments; negotiate with landlord to get repairs made - Educate tenants about legal advice, utility assistance, housing court assistance, protection and remedies; community leadership training - Explore communal resolution of the issues found at the intersection of housing, race, and class - Healthy Homes project provides tools to help residents empower themselves to create healthier choices, livelihood and also provides opportunities for individuals to become proactive on their issues and policies that are impacting their health and community.

Provides free legal representation and advice to low income and other needy elderly. Case priorities for representation focus on problems that affect low income elderly. Callers who do not fit into priorities receive advice, or information and referral. Handles cases such as: - Abusive debt collection practices - Benefits: Food Stamps (SNAP), Medical Assistance (MA), Social Security Disability, Personal Care Assistance (PCA) - Elder Abuse - Health Care Directives - Housing: Eviction, Subsidized Housing, Reasonable Accomodations of disabilities - Nursing home issues (payment, conditions, and discharge) - Utility Shut-off assistance

Provides legal services including: - Creditor problems and harassment by bill collectors - Contract-for-Deed issues - Custody and visitation issues - Divorce - Evictions - Family issues - Fuel assistance - Garnishment - Housing code violations - Landlord-tenant issues including leases, evictions, denials of subsidized housing, fair housing, repair issues, etc. - Mortgage foreclosures - Representation for General Assistance, MFIP, Food Benefits, and Medical Assistance - Unemployment compensation - Utilities - Supplemental Security Income Legal Clinics: Virtual advice regarding Bankruptcy, Family Law, and Social Security is available Home visits may be possible Legal Aid does not handle adoption, paternity, or wills, but special circumstance cases are considered Assistance may involve representation, advice, or referral. The demand for services is high and Legal Aid is unable to handle all requests for assistance. There are established case priorities and, in some instances, waiting lists have become necessary to allocate services. Advice appointments may occur in person, on the phone, electronically, at clinics, or outreach.

Provides free legal representation and advice to low income and other needy elderly. Case priorities for representation focus on problems that affect low income elderly. Callers who do not fit into priorities receive advice, or information and referral. Handles cases such as: - Abusive debt collection practices - Benefits: Food Stamps (SNAP), Medical Assistance (MA), Social Security Disability, Personal Care Assistance (PCA) - Elder Abuse - Health Care Directives - Housing: Eviction, Subsidized Housing, Reasonable Accomodations of disabilities - Nursing home issues (payment, conditions, and discharge) - Utility Shut-off assistance

Provides legal advice and/or representation in cases involving: - Denial of relocation benefits based on government displacement and non-return of security deposits - Discrimination - Eviction (Unlawful Detainer) - Illegal lockouts and utility terminations by landlords - Maintenance and repairs in rental housing - Mortgage foreclosures and cancellations of contracts for deed - Public and subsidized housing admissions and terminations

Individuals representing themselves in Scott County Housing or Conciliation Court who need help filling out paperwork or preparing required forms are able to meet with a volunteer attorney (2 are available) for a 20-minute consultation to get questions answered. First come-first served clinic.