CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) RESOURCE CENTER Read More

Legal Services & Issues

    Results: 22

  • 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.
  • Advocacy (9)
    FP-0500

    Advocacy

    FP-0500

    Programs that intercede on behalf of individuals and/or groups to ensure that they receive the benefits and services for which they are eligible and that organizations within the established service delivery system meet the collective needs of the community; that attempt to marshal public support for a particular issue or cause; or that seek to influence legislation, local ordinances or administrative rulings in order to benefit specific interest groups or achieve specific social, political or environmental goals.
  • Child Abuse Prevention (1)
    FN-1500.1900-150

    Child Abuse Prevention

    FN-1500.1900-150

    Programs, often offered in the schools or in other community settings, that attempt to protect children from physical, sexual and/or emotional abuse or exploitation through a variety of educational interventions which may focus on children of various ages, parents, people who work with children and/or the community at large. The sessions may offer suggestions for children and/or parents regarding ways of avoiding or handling an abusive or potentially abusive situation and/or information about the indicators and incidence of abuse, requirements for reporting abuse and community resources that are available to children who have been abused and to their families.
  • Child Support Assistance/Enforcement (1)
    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.
  • Child Support Wage Assignment Assistance (1)
    FT-9200.1500

    Child Support Wage Assignment Assistance

    FT-9200.1500

    Programs that provide legal assistance for people who want to petition the court to transfer the right to collect wages earned by their ex-spouses to themselves in cases where the ex-spouse is under court order to pay child support and fails to pay as required. Under this arrangement, the amount of the child support check is taken from the delinquent parent's paycheck and sent directly to the parent who has custody of the child.
  • Civil State Trial Courts (2)
    FC-8200.1500

    Civil State Trial Courts

    FC-8200.1500

    State trial courts of general jurisdiction that handle civil cases which involve personal injury, property damage or liability, medical or dental malpractice, real estate actions, equity suits such as injunction proceedings, specific performance contract disputes, administration of trusts and foreclosure on mortgages; and, in jurisdictions where there are no specialized courts, adoptions, probate, family law and psychiatric cases. In some states, a distinction is made between municipal civil courts which hear cases involving monetary claims lower than an established amount and superior civil courts which hear all other civil cases. The type of cases handled by civil trial courts varies by state.
  • Conservatorship Assistance (1)
    FT-6900.1500

    Conservatorship Assistance

    FT-6900.1500

    Programs that provide assistance for people who are in favor of or want to oppose the appointment of a conservator to protect adults from physical danger and improper treatment and/or to protect their estate from exploitation or waste when they are incapable of managing their own affairs or are competent but infirm. Conservatorships differ widely among jurisdictions. In some states, conservatorships are voluntary arrangements in which a physically infirm but competent individual petitions the court to appoint the conservator of choice to manage whatever powers and property the conservatee chooses to include in the arrangement. In these jurisdictions, guardianships apply to adults who are found to be incompetent. In other states, conservatorships apply only to an individual's property while guardianships address responsibility for the person. States having no conservatorship arrangements generally have guardianship provisions which address the needs of adults who have been found by the courts to be incapable of managing their own affairs.
  • Crime Victim Support (1)
    FN-1900

    Crime Victim Support

    FN-1900

    Programs whose objective is to help victims of crimes and their families recover from the trauma of their experience, get medical assistance when required, make their way through the legal system, have an opportunity to provide input to parole or clemency hearings, take appropriate steps, where relevant, to avoid becoming re-victimized, access the benefits to which they are entitled and rebuild their lives.
  • DUI Offender Programs (1)
    RX-1750

    DUI Offender Programs

    RX-1750

    Programs that provide mandated educational, treatment and/or other services for individuals who have been convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs including prescription drugs and ordered by the court to seek assistance as part of state efforts to enforce DUI laws. Some DUI offender programs also include families.
  • Elder Abuse Prevention (1)
    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.
  • Family Law Courts (1)
    FC-8200.8100-200

    Family Law Courts

    FC-8200.8100-200

    State courts that handle domestic relations cases including dissolution of marriages, nullification of marriages, legal separations, paternity actions, child custody, child support, visitation arrangements, spousal support and restraining orders; and which offer marriage and family counseling to help couples to reconcile or, if reconciliation is impossible, to reach an amicable agreement on a custody plan.
  • General Legal Aid (3)
    FT-3200

    General Legal Aid

    FT-3200

    Programs that provide legal counseling and/or representation for low-income individuals who need assistance in routine legal matters, usually in the area of bankruptcy, housing, public benefits, family law, elder law or immigration/naturalization.
  • Immigration/Naturalization Legal Services (1)
    FT-3600

    Immigration/Naturalization Legal Services

    FT-3600

    Programs that provide legal assistance for immigrants, nonimmigrant visa applicants, asylum seekers and lawful permanent residents who are seeking naturalization. Services are generally provided by nonprofit immigration law offices and may involve information and consultation about benefits under immigration law including procedures for obtaining student, visitor and employment-based visas; family immigration; asylee status; lawful permanent residence status; or citizenship.
  • Individual Advocacy (1)
    FP-0500.3300

    Individual Advocacy

    FP-0500.3300

    Programs that intercede on behalf of individuals to help them establish eligibility for or obtain needed services when they have been denied benefits or services for which they are eligible, when they need assistance to communicate their needs to a service provider or to otherwise effectively represent themselves, or when they have a complaint about a service. Individual advocacy attempts to reach equitable settlements without resorting to litigation and seeks to meet individual needs without attempting to change social institutions.
  • Juvenile Courts (1)
    FC-8200.3500

    Juvenile Courts

    FC-8200.3500

    State courts that have jurisdiction over minors who have been charged with an offense that would be considered criminal if committed by an adult, who have committed status offenses or traffic violations, or who have been neglected or physically or sexually abused.
  • Law Enforcement Agencies (2)
    FL

    Law Enforcement Agencies

    FL

    City, county, state or federal government agencies or university departments that are responsible for preserving peace, protecting life and property, preventing and detecting crime and apprehending and arresting suspects. Also included are special purpose public police forces that have full peace officer powers but only within limited jurisdictions, e.g., public parks, public transit facilities, public housing projects, local school district campuses.
  • Legal Counseling (3)
    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.
  • Legislative Advocacy (5)
    FP-0500.4500

    Legislative Advocacy

    FP-0500.4500

    Programs that attempt to influence the introduction or review of pending bills, ordinances or administrative rulings with the objective of having an impact on the passage or defeat of such legislation or its content.
  • Long Term Care Ombudsman Programs (1)
    FT-4950

    Long Term Care Ombudsman Programs

    FT-4950

    Programs that investigate and attempt to resolve complaints made by or on behalf of residents of nursing facilities, residential care homes, assisted living facilities and other supervised living facilities for older adults. The program also promotes policies and practices that improve the quality of life, health, safety, welfare and rights of residents; monitors laws, regulations and policies that affect those who live in long-term care facilities; provides the public with information about long-term care options; and promotes the development of consumer organizations concerned about long-term care. Under the federal Older Americans Act, every state is required to have an Ombudsman Program that addresses complaints and advocates for improvements in the long term care system.
  • Probate Courts (1)
    FC-8200.8100-650

    Probate Courts

    FC-8200.8100-650

    State courts that handle regular guardianships, the establishment of decedents' wills, the settlement of decedents' estates, and decisions relating to the administration of the estates of minors and individuals adjudged to be incompetent to manage their own affairs.
  • Small Claims Courts (1)
    FC-8200.8100-800

    Small Claims Courts

    FC-8200.8100-800

    State courts that hear civil cases involving no more than $5,000 and which require parties to the action to present their own cases. The judge hears both sides and renders a judgment.
  • Traffic Courts (1)
    FC-8200.8100-900

    Traffic Courts

    FC-8200.8100-900

    State courts that hear cases which involve metropolitan area traffic violations.