Legal Services for the Elderly provides professional consultation and representation on various legal issues.
Types of Legal Services Provided
In addition to public and consumer education services about various legal subjects, other assistance offered by Legal Services for the Elderly includes:
- Consultation and advice
- Attorney representation before courts and administrative agencies
- Litigation including appeals to higher courts
- Information, legal research, and advocacy in conjunction with other services in such areas including domiciliary and nursing home care, patient’s rights, and pending State and Federal legislation
Types of Legal Problems Addressed
Legal Services for the Elderly provides assistance with civil legal problems including:
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Social Security and Benefits
- Medicare, Medicaid, and Related Health Insurance
- Sales Contracts
- Credit Purchases
- Home Improvement Contracts
- Debtor Problems
- Bankruptcy
- Landlord and Tenant Actions
- Property Rights
- Support
- Custody and Adoption
- Non-contested Divorce
- Guardianship Defense
- Powers of Attorney
- Wills
- Healthcare Directive
Legal Problems Not Represented
The Legal Services for the Elderly Program does not provide representation in the following types of cases:
- Any criminal or quasi-criminal matter
- Fee-generating cases, such as those where attorney’s fees are ordinarily taken from the sum of money which the lawyer collects in a lawsuit on behalf of the client (these would include personal injury claims, property damage, etc.)
- Out-of-state actions
- Other types of legal problems involving a special degree of expertise such as tax or complex trusts
- Actions in which the potential recovery to the client does not justify the use of Agency resources
Eligibility
Individuals 60 and older who reside in Fayette, Greene or Washington County are eligible.
