LEGAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT

Lutheran Ministries and Social Services of Waco
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ONLINE RESOURCES
 

211 Texas is a 24/7 state-wide free information phone line and referral service for a variety of health and human services. Services are provided through both faith-based and non-profit agencies. From 8am-5pm, M-F, callers in Central Texas will be assisted by the local call center at the Heart of Texas Council of Government’s Area Agency on Aging. After normal daytime hours, calls will be answered by the central call center located in Houston. Callers can also use the system to locate services available in any other part of the state.

Texas Law Help is a one-stop online source for free and low-cost civil legal assistance for those who cannot afford to hire an attorney.  The Website helps the general public learn about individual rights, self-help resources and legal aid organizations. The site also offers forms approved by the Texas Supreme Court for use by persons representing themselves. Included forms cover civil rights, consumer/credit, disability, disaster relief, domestic violence, elder law, employment, family law, health, housing, immigration, migrant worker rights, military/veterans, public benefits and wills/estates.

Attorney Referral System is run by State Bar of Texas out of Austin. After you call the toll-free number (1-800-292-9690) and explain what you need an attorney for, you will be referred to an attorney in your area. All attorneys in the program are in good ethics standing with the Bar. When you call the attorney, you must state that you were referred through the system in order to receive a half-hour consultation at the reduced rate of $25.

The Office of the Texas Attorney General offers information and forms on child support, consumer protection, crime victim's compensation and issues affecting senior Texans. The Website also includes information on Open Government policies, such as how to request information covered by the Freedom of Information Act, and open record rulings.

State Bar of Texas includes a Client Assistance and Grievance page which outlines what an attorney's client can do if they feel they were unfairly treated or misrepresented by their attorney. For help resolving problems with attorneys you can also contact CAAP at 1-800-932-1900 or 1-800-204-2222, ext. 1790. Letters should be sent to CAAP, PO Box 12487, Austin, TX 78711-2487. The site also allows you to access information about steps to follow if you have a dispute with an attorney over fees. The State Bar has established a Standard Fee Dispute Resolution Procedure. Click here to view the fee disputes model rule (PDF).

 

LOCAL RESOURCES

 

Child Support – The local Office of Attorney General provides information and support on collecting child support. The Waco office serves Bosque, Falls, Freestone, Hamilton, Hill, Limestone, McLennan and Mills counties.

Office: (254) 754-5402                       Fax: (254) 752-1864                          Toll-free: (800) 687-8269

Physical Address: 801 Austin Ave., Suite 210, Waco, TX 76701-1937

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1969, Waco, TX 76703-1969

Legal Aid – Legal Aid organizations are federally funded and provide attorney representation. Their local office is located at 900 Austin Ave. in downtown Waco, on the 7th floor of the Lloyd’s Building. They can be reached at 254-756-7944.  The office takes application for services on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons only, from 1-4:30pm. It takes approximately seven to 10 working days for an applicant to learn if their case will be accepted or not. To be eligible for Legal Aid services, an individual cannot have an income greater than $1,083 per month. A family of four cannot have have a yearly income greater than $26,500 per year, or $2,208 per month. Exceptions due to extraordinary medical expenses or other unique circumstances may be made, but for most, the general guidelines apply. If you are turned down due to a lack of Legal Aid resources, you may be able to get help through our Project. However, we do not provide attorney representation.

Dispute Resolution Center of McLennan County uses mediation to try and resolve differences between parties as an alternative to going to court. Both parties must be willing to try this method, in order to access center's services. Each party is charged a $25 fee for four hours of mediation, unless the parties are already involved in litigation. The charge in those cases will be $100 per party. The center is located in the Lloyd’s Building in downtown Waco at 900 Austin Ave. To contact them you can call 254-752-0955, fax 254-752-0966, or email them.