Get Help & Services
Maryland Legal Aid provides a full range of free civil legal services to financially eligible individuals from 12 office locations. Our legal work helps to protect peoples’ basic needs and human rights.
Get help now by calling 1-888-465-2468 or apply with online in-take.
Attend a FREE legal clinic for in-person help!
Get help at an office close to you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I qualify for assistance?
Maryland Legal Aid’s services are free for financially eligible individuals which is based on income and assets available to the household. Household income must be below 125% of the federal poverty income guidelines. Review the guidelines below to determine if you qualify. Call 1-888-465-2468 to see if you qualify.
- MLA Welcome (PDF)
- Folleto de bienvenida español (PDF)
- Human Rights Brochure (PDF)
- Maryland Legal Aid: Who We Are Brochure – English (PDF)
- Maryland Legal Aid: Who We Are Brochure – Spanish (PDF)
How do I apply for help?
You can apply online; call us at 1-888-465-2468 Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.- 2:30 p.m.; attend a free legal clinic; or visit an MLA office.
Which types of cases do you not handle?
MLA does not handle active criminal cases; medical malpractice; police misconduct; attorney misconduct; car accidents; small claims; credit counseling, or immigration.
Will MLA ask me for money?
There have been recent scams with people posing as Maryland Legal Aid (MLA) employees asking that clients pay fees. MLA does NOT charge clients fees for its services. If you receive an email asking for payment, you should assume it is not legitimate and contact MLA.
Does MLA have a Weapons Policy?
Yes! MLA endeavors to maintain a safe operating environment, at all times, for all MLA employees and visitors. As such, MLA prohibits all visitors from bringing weapons of any sort, into any of our offices/buildings.
Specifically, weapons include, but are not limited to:
- Firearms and Projectile Weapons (e.g. Guns, Stun Guns, Ammunition, etc.)
- Bladed, Edged, or Sharp Tools or Implements (e.g. Knives, Axes, Box Cutters, etc.)
- Club-like Items and Striking Devices (e.g. Night Sticks, Brass Knuckles, Blackjacks, etc.)
- Destructive Devices, Explosives, or Combustible Chemical Compounds and Mixtures (e.g. Gunpowder, Flammable Liquid, Fireworks, etc.)
- Explosives, or other destructive devices, including their individual parts or components, that are designed, redesigned, used, intended for use, or readily converted to cause injury, death, or property damage
Authorized and licensed City, State, and Federal agents that enter our premises for emergency purposes and/or other official business are exempt from this policy. However, this policy exception does not extend to private security officers, or off-duty law enforcement officers that are clients of MLA and entering our premises for services or other purposes.
Quick Links
Consumer
Collection & Debt
Contact us if you are being sued or harassed by a debt collector, being sued for a student or medical loan, if your property has been repossessedRepossession refers to taking back property through judicial processes, foreclosure, or self-help when a borrower fails to make required payments. More, if your wages are being garnishedGarnishment: a court order directing that money or property of a third party (usually wages paid by an employer) be seized to satisfy a debt owed by a debtor to a plaintiff creditor. More, or if you are facing foreclosure and/or if you want to file bankruptcyA legal procedure for dealing with debt problems of individuals and businesses. More.
Contracts/Warranties
Get help from an attorney to understand things included in contracts or warranties, or if you are being sued for breach of contract.
Other Consumer/ Finance
We can help clients who have legal questions and concerns related to their specific financial situation.
More Information
- Bankruptcy PDF
- BankruptcyA legal procedure for dealing with debt problems of individuals and businesses. More: Beyond the Basics, Your Client’s Case is Dismissed and You Want to Refile (Watch the video here)
- BankruptcyA legal procedure for dealing with debt problems of individuals and businesses. More: Beyond the Basics, Motions to Avoid Lien (Watch the video here)
- BankruptcyA legal procedure for dealing with debt problems of individuals and businesses. More: Beyond the Basics, Motions for Relief from Stay and Motions to Modify Plan (Watch the video here)
- Debt Collection: Know Your Rights (PDF)
- Debt Collection: Protect Yourself from Harassment (PDF)
- Debt Collection: What Happens If I Get Sued (PDF)
- Security Deposit (PDF)
Additional issues include:
- BankruptcyA legal procedure for dealing with debt problems of individuals and businesses. More
- CollectionTo collect a debt or obtain payment; To recover goods sold on credit or in installments when the buyer fails to pay for them. More Practice
- Loans Installment Purch.
- Predatory Lending Practices
- Public Utilities
- Unfair and Deceptive Sales and Practices
Employment
Wage Claims and other FLSA Issues
We can provide brief advice for clients who seek to recover backpay or unpaid wages for work performed.
More Information
- Farmworkers Brochures English (PDF)
- Farmworkers Brochure Spanish (PDF)
- Farmworkers Brochure Creole (PDF)
- Fair Pay Booklet English (PDF)
- Fair Pay Booklet Spanish (PDF)
Additional issues include:
- Agricultural Worker Issues
- Employee Rights
- Job Discrimination
- Other Employment
Family
Custody/Visitation
There are different types of child custody, which includes visitation, and we can provide brief advice and/or representation for parents seeking custody of their children.
Divorce/Separation
We provide brief advice and representation for clients seeking a divorce, separation, or annulment.
Domestic Abuse
We offer holistic civil legal assistance to victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse through partnerships with TurnAround, Inc., CHANA and the Prince George’s County Family Justice Center.
Support
We can link clients to a variety of support services that help with issues such as housing, unemployment, temporary cash assistance and/or food stamps, and mental and medical health resources.
More Information
Additional issues include:
- Adult Guardian/Conservatorship
- Name Change
- Other Family
- Parental Rights Termination
- Paternity
Health
Long Term Health Care Facilities
We assist clients with maintaining and planning for long-term care solutions, including planning for incapacity.
More Information
- Involuntary Discharges and Transfers from Nursing Homes (PDF)
- Protecting Your Rights in a Nursing Home (PDF)
- Protect Your Rights | Assisted Living (PDF)
- Signing a Nursing Home Admission Contract for Someone Else (PDF)
- Long-Term Care Medical Assistance: Paying the Nursing Home (PDF)
- Community First Choice (PDF)
- Ryan White Project (PDF)
Additional issues include:
- Home and Community Based Care
- Medicaid
- Medicare
- Other Health
- Private Health Insurance
- State and Local Health
Housing
Federally Subsidized Housing
Everyone has the right to a safe and affordable place to live. Contact us if you need help securing or maintaining a housing voucher.
Homeownership/Real Property
We can assist clients with change of deed, tax sales, and other legal issues related to owning a home.
Mortgage Foreclosures
If you are behind on paying your mortgage, Maryland Legal Aid’s Foreclosure Legal Assistance Project may be able to help. Call (888) 213-3320 for more information.
Other Housing
We can help clients who are facing homelessness by linking them with programs and resources, and possibly providing legal assistance that might remedy their legal issues and prevent homelessness.
Private Landlord/Tenant
We provide representation to tenants in rent court and brief advice for tenants who need help filling out forms or who wish to self-represent in court.
Public Housing
Find out if you qualify to receive public housing and get help maintaining your public housing voucher. You can visit one of our local community legal clinics for help.
Videos about Rent Court
Rent Court for Landlords (Video)
Rent Court for Tenants (Video)
Rent Escrow (Video)
More Information
Additional issues include:
- Housing Discrimination
- Housing Preservation
- Mobile Homes
- Mortgage Predatory Lending/Practices
Income Maintenance
Social Security
We can help clients obtain Supplemental Security Income (SSI) based on their total income and assets.
Whether it is a change of address, a replacement social securityAny government system that provides financial assistance to people with low or no income. More card, or to apply for disability (as well as check the status of your claim), you can do it here.
SSDI
If you are disabled and unable to work, we may be able to help you obtain Social SecurityAny government system that provides financial assistance to people with low or no income. More Disability Insurance.
SSI
You might quality for Social SecurityAny government system that provides financial assistance to people with low or no income. More Insurance (SSIFederal benefits available for seniors, survivors, people who are disabled, unemployed, or injured on the job. More) if you are a senior, disabled or unemployed. We can assist clients with filling out forms and preparing for administrative hearings related to obtaining SSIFederal benefits available for seniors, survivors, people who are disabled, unemployed, or injured on the job. More benefits.
Unemployment Compensation
We can help clients complete the process required to receive unemployment compensation.
Additional issues include:
- Food Stamps
- Other Income Maintenance
- State and Local Income Maintenance
- TANF
- Veterans Benefits
Individual Rights
Expungements
We help remove convictions on Maryland criminal records that are eligible for expungementRemoving convictions from criminal records. More. For help, visit one of our upcoming expungementRemoving convictions from criminal records. More/legal clinics.
Other Individuals Rights
We can assist clients whose civil/individuals rights may have been violated.
More Information
Additional issues include:
- Civil Rights
- Disabled Rights
- Mental Health
Miscellaneous
Wills and Estates
We can provide brief advice for clients who need help drafting wills and/or advanced directives.
Additional issues include:
- Advance Directives/Powers of Attorney
- Fraud & Elder Abuse
- Legal Assistance to Non-Profit Organization or Group
- Licenses
- Municipal Legal Needs
The Community Lawyering Initiative
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Maryland Legal Aid’s Community Lawyering Initiative brings civil legal services and assistance for criminal record expungementsRemoving convictions from criminal records. More directly to people in underserved neighborhoods and communities. Through this initiative, attendees can visit a number of weekly and monthly clinics where Maryland Legal Aid legal staff and and volunteers provide free, brief, one-on-one civil legal advice and criminal record expungementsRemoving convictions from criminal records. More.
State & Regional Services
Migrant Farmworker Program
Maryland Legal Aid’s Migrant Farmworker Program represents migrant and seasonal workers in the agricultural fields, packing houses, nurseries and food processing plants in Maryland and Delaware on employment-related matters. Typical issues include unpaid wages, substandard housing, discrimination, pesticide exposure, and inadequate access to bathrooms and drinking water. The Program conducts outreach to approximately 100 labor camps in Maryland and Delaware.
Foreclosure Legal Assistance Project
Maryland Legal Aid’s Foreclosure Legal Assistance Project (FLAP) represents low-income homeowners throughout Maryland at all stages of the foreclosure process, including mediations, motions to stay and dismiss sales, bankruptcies, exceptions to sales, motions for orders of possession, and evictions. Advice and referrals to other resources are provided to applicants who we are unable to represent.
Long-Term Care Assistance Project
Maryland Legal Aid’s Long-Term Care Assistance Project provides free legal assistance to help low-income people obtain long-term healthcare. Through this project, clients can get the services and supports they need, wherever they want to live, whether it is in their own homes, within the community through assisted living, or in nursing homes.
Child in Need of Assistance (CINA)
Maryland Legal Aid has contracts with the State of Maryland to represent children in abuse and neglect cases in Circuit Courts in many counties. These cases, also known as CINA (Child In Need of Assistance) cases, begin when the State of Maryland, usually through local county Departments of Social Services, removes an alleged abused or neglected child from his/her home and places that child in shelter or foster care for protection.
Maryland Legal Aid does not take calls from Maryland residents to handle these cases; attorneys on staff are assigned to cases by local Circuit Courts.
Visit the People’s Law Library for a detailed explanation of CINA case proceedings.
Maryland Senior Legal Helpline
The Maryland Senior Legal Helpline is a free telephone hotline for people living in Maryland, aged 60 years or older. Attorneys who staff the helpline provide brief legal advice to callers or give callers a referral to another legal resource or an appropriate public or private agency. By providing these services over the telephone, seniors can get help for their legal problems without having to leave their homes.
Ryan White Project
The Ryan White Project provides free legal services to Maryland residents who are HIV positive or who have AIDS and live in Baltimore City or Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford, Howard, or Queen Anne’s counties. Proof of residency, income, and HIV/AIDS status are required to open a case. Legal assistance provided by Maryland Legal Aid is designed to address the health-harming legal needs of people living with HIV/AIDS, and to enable them to focus on fighting the effects of HIV/AIDS and staying well. Assistance provided by Maryland Legal Aid is an essential component of a holistic and comprehensive continuum of care for each client.
More Information
For more details about who is eligible for services, see Income Guidelines. For those who qualify, there is NO FEE for Maryland Legal Aid’s services.
Grievance Process
You have the right to appeal a decision that you are not financially eligible for Maryland Legal Aid’s services or that we cannot handle your specific issue. The first step is to contact the chief attorney of the office making this determination. If you are not satisfied with the chief attorney’s decision, you may submit a complaint to Maryland Legal Aid’s Executive Unit.
If you have a complaint about how your case is being handled, you should contact the chief attorney of the office that is providing assistance to you. If you are not satisfied with the chief attorney’s response, you may contact Maryland Legal Aid’s Executive Unit. If the Executive Unit is unable to resolve the matter to your satisfaction, you may submit a complaint to the Grievance Committee of Maryland Legal Aid’s Board of Directors.
To contact the Executive Unit or the Board of Directors, write to:
Maryland Legal Aid
500 East Lexington Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21202