How to Get Help

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*Due to COVID-19 concerns, Houston Volunteer Lawyers' staff is currently working remotely. HVL's physical office is closed to all visitors. If you need legal assistance, please fill out HVL's application and email it to info@hvlp.org

Starting on Friday, March 27, HVL staff attorneys and volunteer attorneys will conduct legal advice interviews over the phone to those who submit an application and are eligible for HVL's services. Legal advice interviews will take place from 2 pm - 5 pm on Friday afternoons.

* To be eligible for free legal services, you must:

(1) reside in Harris County, 

(2) have household income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, and 

(3) have limited assets.

Houston Volunteer Lawyers normal process will resume when our staff is able to return to the office and it is deemed safe to host in-person legal advice clinics. The normal process is as follows:

* Call our Intake Line at (713) 228-0732 or view Upcoming Events on the homepage to learn the dates and times of our upcoming legal clinics, where you can meet with a licensed Texas attorney about your legal problem and apply for longer-term service.  

- If your application is accepted, we will attempt to refer your case to a volunteer attorney.  We cannot guarantee that we will be able to find a volunteer willing to take your case.  If, after 3 months on our waiting list, no attorney volunteers to take your case, we will close your file and notify you.

- We do not accept applications or provide legal advice over the phone.  Free legal advice is available by phone through the Houston Bar Association's LegalLine program at (713) 759-1133.  LegalLine is open on the first and third Wednesday of every month between 5 pm and 9 pm, and is available for Spanish speakers on the first Thursday of every month, between 6 pm and 8 pm.

* Accommodations.  If you do not speak English, a translator is available in person or via telephone service.  If you need other accommodations, call our office at (713) 228-0735 or email info@hvlp.org.

* We provide the following legal advice clinics on an ongoing basis:

- Saturday Clinic: walk-in clinic held twice monthly on Saturdays at various locations for the first 75 people in line.  Clinics begin at 9:00 am.  Applicants are encouraged to come early (at or before 8:00 am) to secure a place in line.  We do not hold Saturday clinics in December.  

- Veterans Clinic: walk-in clinic every Friday from 1 - 5 pm at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, for U.S. Veterans and spouses of deceased Veterans

- Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic: by appointment, for assistance with IRS issues.  Call (713) 255-1TAX.

- Self Help Information Offices: for help representing yourself in court, go to the 17th floor of the Civil Courthouse (located at 201 Caroline Street, downtown), weekdays from 8:30 am until 12:00 pm on a first-come, first-serve basis.  You can now also visit our Harris County Law Library location for self-help: 1019 Congress basement, open weekdays from 8:30 am until 5:00 pm on a first-come, first-serve basis. At these locations, legal information only is provided, specific case advice is not. 

- Self Help Divorce Clinics: held quarterly by appointment. To schedule, please fill out our Screening Form to ensure your situation meets the forms we have available. If so, you'll be asked to leave a phone number and we will call you back to make the appointment. 

* To be eligible for free legal services, you must:

(1) reside in Harris County, 

(2) have a household income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, and 

(3) have limited assets.

* Exceptions:

* United States Veterans and spouses of deceased Veterans who reside in Austin County, Bell, Brazoria, Brazos, Chambers, Galveston, Grimes, Fort Bend, Hardin, Harris, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Walker, Waller, or Washington counties and have a household income at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

* Persons with HIV or AIDS who reside in Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, or Waller counties and have a household income at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

* Persons with IRS disputes who have a household income at or below 250% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. 

NOTE: We do not accept criminal, traffic, or fee-generating cases.