Provides free and confidential legal information and advice about any rental housing issues/questions via phone or email. Additional services may include: - Advice/assistance to low-income tenant groups in community organizing and advocacy - Advice to renters who rent mobile home lots and own the mobile home - Offers training that educates on tenant/landlord rights targeted to specific populations including high school and college students, shelter and transitional housing residents, social workers, inspectors, police officers, attorneys, prisoners about to be released, and landlords - Provides advice on any rental housing topic. Common topics: repairs, evictions, security deposits, leases, notices, privacy, rent increases, fees, neighbor/roommate disputes, etc. - Provides legal advice for tenants whose landlords are going through foreclosure and may be facing eviction - Policy advocacy on tenant rights and affordable housing issues - Policy-based research activities NOTE: Email is the preferred method of communication. Click here to access the email an attorney form.

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 advice and referrals on most civil legal issues, including: - Criminal expungement - Employment law - Family law (custody related to divorce) - Landlord/tenant - Legal Kiosk: Provides a private room with a computer and secure password login for use by youth to maintain court dates, appointments with the county, and other legal appointments. Must reserve the legal kiosk room. Volunteer Lawyers Network attorneys may or may not specialize in a given area but should be able to point clients towards resources if they are unable to offer assistance in a client's particular need.

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

- 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

Provides guidance with a landlord/tenant or conciliation court question; clients can speak with an attorney for up to half an hour

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 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 - Process Services Court and Legal Information - Landlord/tenant information - Law library including online databases and videos - Pro -se Forms for self - representation - Information on other legal issues Coordination of Court Activities: - Conciliation Court administration - Coordination of public defender - Coordinates and schedules court's calendars - Jury Selection Fees and Filing - Collection and receipt of fees, bonds, and escrow funds - Accepts payments of fines from traffic and criminal court - Files wills Marriage Ceremonies performed by the judge or court administrator - Performs civil marriage ceremonies Licenses and Records - Divorce/custody records / Other legal records - Jury Selection

Consultation with attorney in regard to tenant/landlord issues. Depending on the circumstances, the attorney may provide legal advice only, brief service or extended court representation.

Assists agricultural workers with employment-related legal issues and improving the working and living conditions of agricultural workers. Cases that are generally accepted: - Employer-provided housing concerns - Employment discrimination and retaliation - H-2A contract violations - Labor trafficking - Limited public benefits assistance - Problems during the recruitment process - Wage theft - Workplace health and safety violations

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

Volunteer attorneys spend about 15-20 minutes per client providing legal advice and/or brief services on most legal issues in combination with services provided by court Self-Help Center staff. Services include: - Brief legal services from volunteer attorneys - 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. - Forms and written instructions (some fees may apply) - Guardianship assistance is targeted to adults who are disabled or elderly and who lack capacity to make decisions for themselves. - Videos on how to represent yourself in court - Online tools for filling out forms - One-on-one help to learn court procedures - One-on-one review of court forms - Referrals to community resources and legal services

- Temporary Restraining Order filing office - 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 - Law enforcement records / files Coordination of Court Activities: - Coordination of public defender - Coordinates and schedules court's calendars 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 Licenses and Records: - Divorce/custody records - Other legal records - Jury selection

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.

Assists tenants with finding funding, alternative housing, and other resources to assist with legal questions

- Collection and receipt of fees, bonds, and escrow funds - Court Records - Divorce/custody records - File wills - Information on other legal issues - Jury selection - Landlord/tenant information - Notary Public - Orders for Protection/Domestic Abuse - Performs civil marriage ceremonies - Pro-se Forms for self-representation - Public Defender - Reimbursement and collection of guardian ad litem fees - Law library including book loan, book giveaways, legislative reference services, online databases/CD ROMs, reference/information, and government publications

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.

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

Provides legal advice, advocacy and representation for tenants with issues related to tenant/landlord law including Eviction Actions or Unlawful Detainers, Lease Terminations, repair issues, problems with public housing, subsidized housing, Section 8 housing and programs such as Group Residential Housing (GRH).

Provides legal assistance in criminal matters from petty misdemeanors to felonies, as well as many areas of civil law. Civil Law - General - Collections - Commitment - Expungement - Garnishment - General Assistance - Housing - Landlord/Tenant - Name Change - Native American Enrollment - Public Assistance - SSI - Unemployment - Unlawful Detainer ? Civil Law - Family - Child Support - CHIPS - Custody - Dissolution - Guardianship - Harassment - Long Term Foster Care - Orders for Protection - Paternity - Termination of Parental Rights - Visitation

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

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

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