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Free and low-cost legal help

If you can’t afford a lawyer, these are the main places to start for a civil (non-criminal) legal problem.

Last reviewed November 2026.

Legal aid (Legal Services Corporation)

The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is an independent nonprofit established by Congress in 1974 to fund civil legal aid for low-income Americans. It funds independent nonprofit legal aid organizations in every state, the District of Columbia and the US territories. Enter your address on LSC’s “I Need Legal Help” page to find the LSC-funded organization that serves your area. Each organization sets its own eligibility rules and the kinds of cases it takes.

LawHelp.org

LawHelp.org has plain-language information about legal rights and free legal forms by state, and helps you find nonprofit legal aid providers. LSC points people there too.

ABA Free Legal Answers

ABA Free Legal Answers lets people who qualify ask volunteer lawyers a specific question about a civil legal issue online. You choose your state, answer questions to see whether you qualify, post your question and get an email when a lawyer answers.

Other options

• Prepaid legal plans: the ABA’s FindLegalHelp describes these as plans that give subscribers, for a modest monthly cost, access to lawyers for basic legal problems. Some employers offer one as a benefit.
• Your court’s self-help center: many state courts run self-help pages or centers for people without a lawyer.
• A lawyer referral service: if you don’t qualify for legal aid, your state’s referral service can connect you with a lawyer, and some can tell you about reduced-fee programs.

Criminal case? If you’re charged with a crime and can’t afford a lawyer, ask the court about a public defender or appointed counsel.

Sources

Last reviewed November 2026.

1. Legal Services Corporation: I Need Legal Help
2. LawHelp.org
3. ABA Free Legal Answers
4. ABA FindLegalHelp.org: Hire a lawyer (referral, bar directories, prepaid legal plans)