Legal Services

Results: 24

• Adult Protective Intervention/Investigation (6)
  PH-6500.0500-050

  Adult Protective Intervention/Investigation

  PH-6500.0500-050
  
  Social services programs provided by state and/or local governments that evaluate reports from friends, neighbors or others who are concerned about the welfare of an older adult or person with a disability who may be unable to act on their own behalf, manage their own affairs or are in immediate danger due to physical or emotional abuse, unsafe or hazardous living conditions, exploitation, neglect, self-neglect or abandonment. If the situation meets the criteria for intervention, an APS worker will initiate face-to-face contact with the individual, assess their situation for safety and need for assistance, and determine what services, if any, would be beneficial to maintain his/her well-being and independence. Services may include removal of the individual to safer surroundings, authorization for medical treatment and other available services that may be necessary to remove the conditions which have created a threat. Every state has its own distinct APS system and programs which vary in terms of populations served, services provided and scope of the program; and while APS workers help thousands of vulnerable adults every day, individuals always have the right to decline assistance.
• Adult Protective Services (1)
  PH-6500.0500

  Adult Protective Services

  PH-6500.0500
  
  Social services programs that provide assistance for older adults, people with disabilities and other vulnerable individuals who are unable to act on their own behalf or manage their own affairs, or who are in immediate danger due to physical or emotional abuse, unsafe or hazardous living conditions, exploitation, neglect, self-neglect or abandonment. Included are APS programs that investigate cases of abuse, neglect or exploitation working closely with a wide variety of professionals including physicians, nurses, firefighters and law enforcement officers following receipt of a report from friends, neighbors or others concerned for their safety; and public and private guardianship/conservatorship programs that make provisions for people who have been judged to be incompetent by the court by assuming responsibility for the care and custody of the individuals and/or for the management of their estates.
• Bankruptcy Assistance (2)
  DM-1800.1000

  Bankruptcy Assistance

  DM-1800.1000
  
  Programs that provide assistance for people who are unable to pay their creditors and need to declare bankruptcy. Included may be help in evaluating a personal or business bankruptcy as an option, assistance in completing and filing bankruptcy forms and/or representation in bankruptcy hearings.
• Benefits Assistance (8)
  FT-1000

  Benefits Assistance

  FT-1000
  
  Programs that provide assistance for people who are having difficulty understanding and/or obtaining grants, payments, services or other benefits for which they are eligible. The programs may help people understand the eligibility criteria for benefits, the benefits provided by the program, the payment process and the rights of beneficiaries; provide consultation and advice; help them complete benefits application forms; negotiate on their behalf with benefits administration staff; and/or represent them in administrative processes or judicial litigation. Included are benefits counseling organizations that offer a range of advocacy services and legal aid programs that offer more formalized legal assistance.
• Child Support Assistance/Enforcement (2)
  FT-3000.1600

  Child Support Assistance/Enforcement

  FT-3000.1600
  
  Programs that provide assistance which helps to ensure that parents fulfill their mutual obligation to financially support and provide health care for their children. Included are services for people who want to locate an absent parent; establish paternity; establish a child support order; request that the non-custodial parent provide health insurance for a child in conjunction with a child support order; change the amount of a child support award; dispute a child support award; or enforce payment of child support monies in cases where the supporting parent is delinquent in paying or refuses to pay or make health insurance arrangements altogether. Child support is money paid by one parent to another for the maintenance, including the education, of their children following the dissolution of their marriage or other relationship. Non-custodial parents enrolled in an insurance plan at work may be required to include the child under this coverage while those not covered by any insurance plan may be required to obtain medical coverage, if available at a reasonable cost. Child support assistance/enforcement may be provided by private attorneys, legal clinics, family law facilitators' offices or child support enforcement programs which are available in all states, often as a component of the district attorney's office.
• Durable Power of Attorney for Asset Management (2)
  FT-2700.1700

  Durable Power of Attorney for Asset Management

  FT-2700.1700
  
  Programs that provide assistance for people who want to officially authorize another individual (and one or more alternates) to handle important matters such as bill paying, contracts, investments, taxes, estate planning or a business in the event that the individual becomes incapacitated. There are two kinds of power of attorney: a power of attorney which takes effect immediately upon signing, and a springing power of attorney which does not take effect unless and until the individual becomes incapable of handling his or her own affairs (and expires if the person regains capacity.)
• Elder Abuse Counseling (2)
  RP-1400.8000-020.24

  Elder Abuse Counseling

  RP-1400.8000-020.24
  
  Programs that provide individual, conjoint, family or group treatment for older adults who are being physically, sexually and/or emotionally abused by members of their family, and/or for perpetrators of elder abuse. Also included are programs that provide counseling for dependent adults who are victims of abuse.
• Elder Abuse Prevention (7)
  FN-1500.1900-180

  Elder Abuse Prevention

  FN-1500.1900-180
  
  Programs that attempt to reduce the incidence of financial, emotional, physical and sexual abuse or intimidation of elderly people and dependent adults by members of their families or other caregivers through a variety of educational interventions which are aimed at the likely victims of abuse, potential perpetrators, people who work with families and/or the community at large.
• Elder Law (4)
  FT-2450

  Elder Law

  FT-2450
  
  Programs that provide information and guidance for individuals who need assistance in the area of law which relates to the rights and needs of older adults, especially in the areas of age discrimination, consumer fraud, estate planning and management, living trusts, trust administration, probate, property law, retirement planning, pension benefits, Social Security benefits, Medicaid and Medicare, disability planning, long-term care alternatives, health care decisions, elder abuse, guardianships and conservatorships.
• Estate Planning Assistance (2)
  FT-2700

  Estate Planning Assistance

  FT-2700
  
  Programs that offer a review of options and assistance to people who want to provide for the administration and/or protection of their assets during their lifetime, develop a plan for managing their finances in the event of a disabling illness, prepare binding instructions for the health care they wish to receive or avoid should they become terminally ill, make arrangements for the disposition of their assets with a minimum amount of taxation upon their death and provide for the administration of their estate should their spouse or other beneficiaries be incapable of managing their affairs. Estate planning provides an opportunity for individuals to make their wishes known and to name the person(s) who will be responsible for carrying out those directives. Tools available during the estate planning process include a Last Will and Testament, durable power of attorney for health care, durable financial power of attorney and a directive to physicians such as a living will, natural death directive or other state-recognized document. A revocable living trust may also be appropriate in some circumstances.
• Eviction Prevention Legal Assistance (2)
  FT-4500.1800

  Eviction Prevention Legal Assistance

  FT-4500.1800
  
  Programs that provide assistance for people are being evicted, either wrongfully or with reason, from their apartments or other rental property. Also included are programs that attempt to prevent eviction and possible homelessness by providing mediation services to negotiate a compromise between an individual and the landlord.
• Guardianship Assistance (2)
  FT-6900.2500

  Guardianship Assistance

  FT-6900.2500
  
  Programs that provide assistance for people who are in favor of or want to oppose the appointment of a guardian to care for and/or manage the affairs of a child or adolescent during minority (generally younger than age 18). In some states, particularly those with no arrangements for conservatorships, whose conservatorships are voluntary covering property and powers designated by the conservatee or whose conservatorships address only the individual's estate, guardianships may also apply to adults who have been found by the courts to be incapable of managing their own affairs.
• Health Facility Licensing (2)
  DF-4500.2000-300

  Health Facility Licensing

  DF-4500.2000-300
  
  Programs that establish and enforce health, safety and program standards for health care and mental health facilities, review applications for licenses, issue or deny licenses, inspect facilities for compliance with requirements and revoke licenses or bring disciplinary action for noncompliance. Included are programs that provide licensing for general acute care hospitals, acute psychiatric hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities, home health agencies, personal care agencies, hospice facilities, employer/employee clinics, rehabilitation clinics, community clinics, surgical clinics, and chronic dialysis clinics.
• Law Enforcement Records/Files (2)
  DF-7000.4590

  Law Enforcement Records/Files

  DF-7000.4590
  
  Programs that maintain and, where appropriate, provide access to records and/or files kept by federal, state or local police agencies, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the courts or other agencies that relate to the investigation of individuals or organizations suspected of criminal activity; the commission and reporting of crimes; the arrest of criminal suspects; the indictment, conviction and sentencing of criminal offenders; and/or the confinement, probation/parole and release of offenders.
• Lawyer Referral Services (1)
  FT-4800

  Lawyer Referral Services

  FT-4800
  
  Programs that maintain lists of private attorneys and link people who need legal assistance with lawyers who specialize in the required area of law.
• Legal Counseling (1)
  FP-4000

  Legal Counseling

  FP-4000
  
  Programs that are staffed by lawyers who offer information and guidance regarding legal matters, proposed lines of conduct, claims or contentions including opinions on the party's rights, responsibilities and liabilities; and who offer suggestions for an appropriate course of action, but do not represent clients in court.
• Legal Education/Information (1)
  FR

  Legal Education/Information

  FR
  
  Programs whose primary purpose is to inform the public of the rights and responsibilities of individuals under the law, the need for crime prevention, protection and swift and effective administration of justice, the availability of resources to meet these needs and the issues and problems that relate to the provision of services in the criminal justice and legal area.
• Legal Services (2)
  FT

  Legal Services

  FT
  
  Programs that provide assistance in the form of advocacy, arbitration, class action litigation, legal counseling, legal representation, mediation, paralegal counseling, self-representation assistance and/or court watching which focus on a particular area of law.
• Private Guardianship/Conservatorship Programs (3)
  PH-6500.0500-650

  Private Guardianship/Conservatorship Programs

  PH-6500.0500-650
  
  Private organizations that have been appointed by the court to act as legal guardians or conservators (depending on the state) of people who have been judged to be incompetent or gravely disabled due to Alzheimer's disease, alcoholism, mental illness or other incapacitating conditions and assume responsibility for the care and custody of the individuals and/or for the management of their estates.
• Probate Conservatorship Assistance (5)
  FT-6900.1500-650

  Probate Conservatorship Assistance

  FT-6900.1500-650
  
  Programs that provide assistance for people who are in favor or want to oppose the appointment of a conservator to manage the personal and/or financial affairs of an adult who is incapable of doing so due to poor health, senility or other disabling conditions. Individuals or organizations appointed as "conservators of the person" are responsible for the person's care, maintenance, custody and control and provide for the person's living arrangements, food, clothing, medical care and other basic needs. Those appointed as "conservators of the estate" are responsible for the prudent management of the money and property belonging to the individual.
• Public Guardianship/Conservatorship Programs (3)
  PH-6500.0500-680

  Public Guardianship/Conservatorship Programs

  PH-6500.0500-680
  
  Programs operated by a county, city, state or other public entities that are responsible for investigating the need for a guardian or conservator for all people who have been referred as allegedly incompetent or gravely disabled by mental illness or incapacity and which, upon appointment as guardian or conservator, are responsible for the care and custody of the individuals and/or the management of their estates.
• Temporary Restraining Orders (1)
  FT-3000.6900-850

  Temporary Restraining Orders

  FT-3000.6900-850
  
  Programs that help victims of domestic abuse obtain a temporary restraining order (TRO) to prevent harassment, stalking or violence on the part of the abusive individual until the court can set a "show cause" hearing to review the evidence and determine what permanent relief is appropriate. Variously known as protective orders or personal protection orders, temporary restraining orders are injunctions issued by the civil court (in most places the family court) that restrain the conduct of the abuser and may identify places such as the abused person's residence or workplace that the individual is prohibited from entering. Although eligibility may vary, restraining orders are generally available to people who have been physically, emotionally or sexually abused or threatened by a current or former spouse, family member (e.g., parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents), partner, other parent of a child, current or former roommate, or current or former dating partner. Temporary restraining orders are usually issued after an "ex parte appearance" (an appearance in court by one party without the other being present), become effective when served on the restrained person and remain in effect until the "show cause" hearing.
• Tenant Rights Information/Counseling (2)
  FT-4500.8550

  Tenant Rights Information/Counseling

  FT-4500.8550
  
  Programs that provide information and guidance for tenants who need to know their rights and responsibilities regarding leases and rental agreements, deposits, legal eviction procedures, measures to protect themselves from unlawful or retaliatory evictions, rent withholding rights, rent control requirements, privacy rights and other issues that may be of particular interest to tenants. Tenant rights counseling may also include assistance in completing forms, advice regarding a particular dispute and contact with the offending landlord to provide notification that she or he is not in compliance with landlord/tenant laws.
• Veteran Benefits Assistance (4)
  FT-1000.9000

  Veteran Benefits Assistance

  FT-1000.9000
  
  Programs that provide assistance for veterans who are having difficulty understanding and/or obtaining the full benefits and services to which they are entitled by law based on service to their country. The programs may help veterans understand the eligibility criteria for benefits, the benefits provided by the program, the payment process and the rights of beneficiaries; provide consultation and advice; help them complete benefits application forms; negotiate on their behalf with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs staff; and/or represent them in administrative processes or judicial litigation. Included are Veteran Services Officers (VSOs) who are trained and accredited by the Veteran's Administration (VA) and can be found in offices specific to each state, the county courthouse, the local VA office and local veteran's rights organizations; as well as legal aid programs that offer more formalized legal assistance.