What is Legal Aid?
Legal aid refers to a number of services provided to those who cannot afford legal assistance in order to ensure they have equitable access to our legal system. Federal law entitles individuals to receive legal aid from the legal aid attorneys and staff when they cannot pay for legal counseling or representation. It is important to remember that the U.S . Constitution guarantees the right to legal counsel, so providing legal aid is about complying with the law rather than doing people a favor by offering help.
Legal aid is often intended to assist the neediest in the community, though some clinics and attorneys may choose to accept other types of clients or cases. Legal aid groups can help with family law issues, estate planning, bankruptcy protections, eviction or housing issues, consumer law, bankruptcy, criminal law and more.
Legal Aid Agencies in Johnstown, PA
Legal aid organizations in Johnstown, PA, range in scope and reach. Some have a national presence, while others only serve the Johnstown area. However, they all have one thing in common: a mission to serve the public.
Lawyering For A Change Stephen Piepgrass has been at the forefront of a new wave of legal aid: lawyers who take on public interest cases instead of leaving the law behind. After departing from a position that he described as "career suicide," Piepgrass co-founded Lawyering for a Change in 2008 along with Christopher Vasiliades and Rebecca Banton-Smith.
Through the group, residents of Johnstown, PA can receive legal assistance and representation for a variety of civil issues.
Lawyering for a Change aims to help residents of the five counties it serves, including Cambria and Somerset counties, by offering pro bono services to those who cannot accept work through a traditional law firm. As long as the firm is available and has no conflicts of interest, Lawyering for a Change is the lawyer for the public benefit. Cases accepted by the company include personal injury, wrongful convictions, and medical malpractice. Team members also serve as trial lawyers for sick and injured workers.
Lawyering for a Change has an active referral program, and depending on the type of case involved, you may be referred to any one of their members.
A Special Group for Special Needs and the Elderly The Disability and Elder Law Center, based in Johnstown, PA, is a nonprofit organization that provides legal services to clients unable to afford counsel.
The Disability and Elder Law Center has two main areas of focus: Social Security law, and estate planning.
Social Security law, which comprises more than 1,000 pages in total, encompasses at least seven different types of available benefits, including supplemental security income, representative payeeship, and employment networks. This makes this area of the law one of the most difficult to navigate without legal aid.
The Disability and Elder Law Center helps clients with a wide variety of services, including assistance with each type of disablity-related claim and all necessary training and seminars.
Social Security disability benefits have a notoriously low approval rate, so having a Disability and Elder Law Center lawyer to advocate for your rights could improve your chances of receiving the benefits you need.
Similarly, estate planning can be confusing and overwhelming for the average resident of Johnstown, PA to understand. The Disability and Elder Law Center helps you make sense of estate planning and inheritance laws, working with you to lay out a plan that you and your family can easily understand and implement.
Since the Disability and Elder Law Center focuses on a special needs population, their services are primarily offered to individuals who are: If you think that you or someone you love has a disability, then the Disability and Elder Law Center is the nonprofit for you.
Stand Up for Children with Laurel Legal Services Laurel Legal Services started in 1970 as three legal aid programs. Today they celebrate 47 years of providing civil legal services to clients in Somerset and 11 other counties. Legal services are offered to low-income clients who qualify based on federal poverty guidelines.
Laurel Legal Services provides legal representation in civil practices such as family law, government benefits, housing, and elder law.
The organization continues to grow, providing specialized law services to residents of Johnstown, PA.
Who Qualifies for Legal Aid in Johnstown?
To ensure legal aid services are allocated to the clients who need them the most, a set of criteria must be met to be considered eligible. The most common criteria involves income levels and the type of case on which legal aid will be used. In most cases, the individual must earn at or below the poverty line, which is an income level that is established for each state every year. This generally equates to about $20,420 for a family of three. This annual total income, however, can be much higher in large cities where more expensive forms of living are common.
In some cases, the case quality contributes significantly to the legal aid process. For instance, legal assistance can be used, but clients must show a need for services like child protection or services to eliminate domestic abuse. In these situations, the financial impact of paying for legal assistance is less important than the type of case.
Specific factors include:
• Children under the age of 18 — individual must have custody or have frequent parenting time
• Domestic abuse
• Poor mental health — either the person needing help has mental health issues or the party they are going against has the mental illness
• Exploitation
• Landlord/tenant problems
• Physical disability
• Problems arising due to age — race or health issues
Legal aid services in Johnstown, PA, are happy to consider many types of cases provided there is a proven need for legal assistance.
Applying for Legal Aid
How to Apply for Legal Aid in Johnstown, PA
If you have determined that you are eligible for legal aid services and need assistance with a legal matter, the next step is to apply for these services. The process for applying may vary slightly depending on where you live or which organization you choose, but here is a basic guide. To begin, visit the legal aid organization’s website in your area. In Pennsylvania, there are several organizations that provide legal assistance ranging from representation to basic support services to help you better understand your legal circumstances. In the Johnstown area, the Neighborhood Legal Services Association provides legal aid to both individuals and non-profit organizations. Their website can be found at www.nlsa.us. Depending on your specific circumstances and the services they provide, the application process can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few days. For example, if you need help with an eviction notice, and the legal aid organization you approach specializes in landlord-tenant issues, the application process may be quite quick and easy . Regardless of the type of legal services you require, you will likely need to prove your eligibility as well as describe your issue. In addition to proof of low income or hardship, other requirements such as being a veteran, a senior citizen, or disabled may be necessary. It is important to provide accurate and honest information both of which will be verified by the organization. Once you have submitted your application, the organization will review the information you provided. This may take anywhere from a few hours to several days or weeks. In some cases, you may be contacted to schedule an interview with a staff member or attorney so they can learn more about your case and advise you on next steps. If you are accepted into a legal aid program, you may be asked to sign an agreement such as the Client Rights and Responsibilities form to authorize the use of your information and outline the parameters of the attorney representing you.
Advantages of Legal Aid
The benefits of legal aid services extend beyond just the immediate relief it provides to those in need. For individuals, accessing these services can mean the difference between resolving a dispute fairly and being taken advantage of by those who do not have their best interests at heart. In Johnstown, the ability to approach a legal matter with the assistance of a lawyer or paralegal can mean that individuals are not left to navigate the complex legal system on their own.
Legal aid organizations in Johnstown offer invaluable support to clients, helping them understand their rights and responsibilities, identify potential courses of action, and even represent them in court if necessary. For low-income individuals and families, legal aid services ensure that they can access the legal support they need without the fear of crippling attorney fees. This makes it possible for members of the community to pursue justice and legal remedies that would otherwise be out of reach.
Communities also benefit from legal aid services in Johnstown. When residents can access legal services, it helps to maintain social order and creates a more predictable environment for everyone. People are less likely to engage in criminal or civil disobedience when they know that they have fair access to dispute resolution channels. This reduces overall crime, fostering a safer, more secure community.
Legal aid services also promote equality among members of a community. When everyone has access to the law and can interpret and utilize legal documents and processes, it ensures that everyone has a voice in protecting their rights. Legal aid services provide support to the most vulnerable members of society, which includes the elderly, disabled, and economically disadvantaged. These groups often struggle to understand and navigate the law without some form of assistance. By helping these individuals access crucial legal resources, legal aid services help safeguard their fundamental rights and liberties.
For those in need, legal aid services can be critical. The availability of these services in Johnstown, PA, is a vital part of ensuring that all community members have rights and freedoms, as well as the means to pursue them without the threat of repercussion.
Successful Cases with Johnstown Legal Aid
Johnstown, PA has a long history of resilience and support for its low-income residents and those in need. The legal aid services available in the area have helped many combat issues such as eviction, custody battles, and many other legal matters that would normally result in barriers to success for individuals and families alike.
Take Linda, a mother of two who found herself facing eviction from her apartment in the heart of Johnstown due to sudden medical bills accrued after her husband was laid off from work. Without sufficient financial means to pay the rent, she sought assistance from local charities and churches, but nothing worked out. It wasn’t until she found solace in the office of a local legal aid organization that things began to turn around for her.
Working closely with a case worker, Linda was connected with an attorney at the local legal aid society, who was able to assist her during her hearings. In what was a grueling process, the attorney advocated on her behalf so that she could negotiate an agreement with her landlord, allow her to stay at her current home while she handled an appeal, and avoid paying for property she had not occupied for months.
As a result, Linda was able to keep her home, and with the help of government assistance programs and her legal aid attorney, income her husband secured through a temporary job program , she has been able to get back on her feet. She continues to live in her apartment with her daughters, has secured new employment and most recently graduated from a job retraining program in the area.
Another example comes in the form of Daniel, a graduate student from the city who fell into financial disaster after an unexpected vehicular accident rendered his only car undriveable. With no way to get to class, work, or run daily errands, Daniel sought legal assistance to help him fight a parking ticket he received after he parked in the wrong area in hopes of getting a ride share to get him to class on time for an important exam.
In working with an attorney through legal aid, he was able to go to court and argue his case. Although his ticket was upheld, the attorney was able to reduce a majority of the fine while asserting that Daniel was not responsible for all of them. Daniel was able to battle and dispute what would’ve been an impossible ticket for the local student population.
While these are just a handful of success stories, there are many more to be told through legal aid services in Johnstown. Having access to free legal assistance is often the difference between achieving success and failure, getting the justice that is deserved or having no choice but to settle for injustice. These services are imperative in protecting the lives and future of Johnstown and its residents.