Office Information
| Name: | Greater Hartford Legal Aid |
| Address: | 999 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT - 06105 |
| Phone: | (860) 541-5000 |
| Fax: | (860) 541-5050 |
Service Information
Greater Hartford Legal Aid's mission is to work to increase access to the courts and advocate for fairness in the application of law. Our lawyers provide core essential representation on legal problems related to peoples ability to meet their basic human needs, community education and empowerment to help people better help themselves and advocacy to improve systems that underlie our clients problems and the barriers to their success.
To be eligible for our services applicants generally need to be living near the federal poverty level. This is about $30,000 for a family of 4, about $20,000 for a family of 2. We serve residents from the following towns: Avon, Bloomfield, Bristol, Burlington, Canton, East Granby, East Hartford, East Windsor, Enfield, Farmington, Glastonbury, Granby, Hartford, Hartland, Manchester, Marlborough, Newington, Simsbury, South Windsor, Suffield, West Hartford, Wethersfield, Windsor, Windsor Locks. We serve people 60 years of age and older in the above towns and also in these additional towns: Andover, Berlin, Bolton, Columbia, Ellington, Hebron, New Britain, Plainville, Plymouth, Somers, Southington, Stafford, Tolland, and Vernon.
We do not take criminal cases (defend a person who has been arrested) or medical malpractice or accident cases. We handle these legal issues such as divorce, custody, restraining orders for family violence victims evictions, landlord problems for tenants in subsidized housing, employment discrimination, unemployment compensation, pardons, Food Stamps, Medicaid, SAGA, SSI, Temporary Family Assistance (TFA), immigration status issues for family violence victims, nursing home, right to home care, advance directives for seniors, special education, expulsions & school discipline.
Please call Statewide Legal Services (SLS) to determine if you qualify for free legal services. SLS staff will ask you some questions and may give you legal advice. If you have the kind of case GHLA handles, SLS will refer your case to us. GHLA will then review your application and decide if we will take your case.
SLS call-in hours are:
Monday Friday
9 am to 12 noon and 1 to 2 pm
Toll-free: 1-800-453-3320
From Hartford: 860-344-0380
You can call GHLA directly at 860-541-5000, Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
If you are 60 years old or older you can apply by calling GHLA directly at 860-541-5003.
Mission Statement: “To achieve equal justice for poor people, to work with clients to promote social justice, and to address the effects and root causes of poverty.”
Frequently Asked Questions about Legal Aid
- What is legal aid?
Legal aid is free or low-cost legal assistance for people who cannot afford to hire a lawyer. Legal aid organizations provide a variety of legal services, including advice, representation, and advocacy, to help low-income people resolve their civil legal problems.
- Who is eligible for legal aid?
Eligibility for legal aid varies depending on the organization. Generally, legal aid organizations serve people with incomes below a certain level, as determined by the federal poverty guidelines. Some legal aid organizations also have additional eligibility criteria, such as citizenship status or immigration status.
- What kind of cases does legal aid handle?
Legal aid organizations handle a wide range of civil legal problems, including:
* Housing* Education* Employment* Family law* Immigration* Public benefits* Consumer law* Health care* Disability rights
- How do I get legal aid?
To get legal aid, you can contact your local legal aid organization or a state or national legal aid hotline. Legal aid organizations typically have intake interviews to determine eligibility and assess the need for legal assistance.
- Is legal aid free?
Legal aid is generally free for eligible clients. However, some legal aid organizations may charge for certain services, such as filing fees or expert witness fees.
- What if I don’t qualify for legal aid?
If you do not qualify for legal aid, there are other options available to you, such as pro bono lawyers or legal self-help resources. Pro bono lawyers are lawyers who volunteer their time to provide free legal services to low-income people. Legal self-help resources can provide you with information and tools to help you represent yourself in court.
Here are some additional frequently asked questions about legal aid:
- What is the difference between legal aid and a public defender?
Legal aid organizations provide free or low-cost legal assistance to people with civil legal problems. Public defenders provide free legal assistance to people who are accused of crimes.
- Can I get legal aid for a criminal case?
No, legal aid organizations do not provide legal assistance for criminal cases. Criminal cases are handled by public defenders.
- How can I find a legal aid organization near me?
You can find a legal aid organization near you by visiting the website of the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), the national organization that funds legal aid programs. The LSC website has a directory of legal aid organizations by state and county.
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