Got a Legal Situation? How to Get the Help You Need
No one likes the idea of going to court to handle a legal situation, regardless if it’s related to child custody, divorces or criminal court cases. The legal system is complicated and in order for you to get a favorable outcome for your legal situation, you need guidance from a reputable expert. So the question that lies to be answered is, how can you get help for a legal situation? Keep reading, to learn more.
Get a Lawyer
The first and most evident solution would be to get a lawyer. However, just because you have a legal situation, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you need a lawyer. If you intend to fight a speed ticket or plan to go to a small claims court, chances are that you’ll be fine without the utilization of a lawyer. However, when it comes to things such as a legal dispute, it’s highly recommended that you consider using a private lawyer. One of the added benefits of using your own private lawyer is that they are able to allocate a vast amount of their time and resources towards your case. This isn’t possible with a public defender for reasons which will be listed below.
Apply for a Public Defender
In the event that you are incapable of paying for a private attorney, you can file an application with the court to use the services of a public defender. In most cases, you may have to pay a small application fee, but the judge can waive this if your total monthly income falls below a certain threshold. However, be warned, public defenders have much larger caseloads than private attorneys. Therefore unlike a criminal defense lawyer, they aren’t able to allocate a majority of their time and effort into your case. This in itself can negatively affect your legal situation’s outcome as crucial evidence and other important facts can be easily overlooked by an attorney with a burdensome caseload.
State Sponsored Legal Aid Program
In some cases you may not need a lawyer, but rather legal advice. One of the things you can do is to seek legal aid from a state sponsored program. State sponsored legal aid programs, provides free legal advice to low-income individuals who have legal issues. Every state has a free legal aid program. For instance, in Connecticut, residents are able to utilize the state sponsored program—Statewide Legal Services (SLS)—to receive free legal advice.
When it’s all said and done, when it comes to handling legal issues, knowledge really is power. By using the services of a public defender, lawyer or free legal aid program, you can easily get the knowledge you need to get a more favorable outcome for your legal situation.