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In the nearly 12 months that Steve Duble has served as a justice of the peace in Harris County, one thing has remained constant: Most of the people who file in and out of his courtroom, facing the prospect of losing their home or a small claim, do not have a lawyer.

Some do an adequate job of representing themselves, Duble said. Others, not as much. 

So Duble recently secured a $25,000 grant to convert underutilized space into a legal resource center on the first floor of a Preston Street annex of the Harris County Courthouse.

The center, which is set to open in early 2024, will be a place where people can find materials to help them prepare for their next court date, such as the Tenants’ Rights Handbook and important legal forms that should help speed their case along, Duble said. A clerk and undergraduate students from the University of Houston also will be on hand to answer questions and direct people to area nonprofits offering free services to those who qualify. 

“Not only in evictions, but all sorts of cases, we see an imbalance in power and people not understanding the system, so the more we can offer to educate them and give them materials to empower them, the better,” Duble said.

A virtual court kiosk that will be a part of a legal resource center helmed in the Preston Street annex of the Harris County Courthouse. (Antranik Tavitian / Houston Landing)

While defendants accused of a felony, higher-level misdemeanor or juvenile offense have a legal right to an attorney, that right does not extend to lower-level misdemeanor and civil cases. As a result, people dealing with evictions, landlord-tenant disputes, and small claims matters, among other matters, often fight cases with little to no legal expertise.

But in Harris County, several legal aid organizations, nonprofits and pro bono lawyers help to fill the gap. Here are some of those local organizations, the services they offer and how to contact them.

A nonprofit law firm, Lone Star Legal Aid provides free legal representation to those earning less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or $29,160 per year for those with no spouse or children.

Lone Star Legal Aid handles most civil matters, including family, housing, consumer protection, public benefits and environmental law. Its coverage area spans the eastern portion of Texas, including Greater Houston.

While most of Lone Star’s clients are U.S. citizens, the law firm does, under certain circumstances, help people who are in the country unlawfully, said Dana Karni, the nonprofit’s litigation director.

To see if you qualify for representation, call 800-733-8394. You can also fill out an online application. Karni encourages you to apply even if you make more than 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Depending on the circumstance, Lone Star still may be able to help or offer legal advice.

“Your rights are important and are much better preserved if you have representation, always,” Karni said.

Houston Volunteer Lawyers

The pro bono legal arm of the Houston Bar Association, Houston Volunteer Lawyers is a nonprofit organization that delivers free advice, consultations and legal representation to low-income residents of Harris County. 

As with Lone Star Legal Aid, you must earn less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level to qualify for help.

Houston Volunteer Lawyers says its network is made up of thousands of private lawyers who are skilled in numerous areas of law, including family, probate, housing, federal taxes, guardianship, estate planning, consumer cases and veterans matters.

The nonprofit also offers a free clinic to military veterans and spouses of deceased veterans at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center on Fridays from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Lawyers at the clinic can help with family law cases, in addition to wills and probate, consumer law, real estate and property law, tax law, and disability and veterans benefits.

Houston Volunteer Lawyers also began earlier this year to offer legal aid to permanent residents, or green-card holders, who are seeking to become naturalized citizens.

To get connected with a lawyer, call 713-228-0735 or fill out a questionnaire online.

Houston Lawyer Referral Service

If you can afford to hire a lawyer but aren’t sure where to find one, the Houston Lawyer Referral Service can help. 

Established in 1958, the nonprofit community service provides free referrals for legal matters in Harris, Montgomery, Galveston, Fort Bend and Brazoria counties. 

The nonprofit also offers 30-minute consultations for $20, reduced-fee lawyers for lower-income individuals, as well as referrals to social service agencies. 

To contact Houston Lawyer Referral Service, call 713-237-9429.

LASSA is a statewide network of legal aid organizations that offer free and confidential legal services for sexual assault survivors by phone. Lawyers assist with legal issues stemming from sexual assault, including privacy and safety, housing, family law, immigration, medical and mental health benefits, and sexual violence in the workplace.

The hotline is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. To connect with a lawyer, call 844-303-SAFE (7233) and press 1.

This statewide nonprofit offers free and low-cost legal services to immigrants and refugees, including survivors of domestic violence, crime and human trafficking.

At its Houston office, RAICES represents and advocates for immigrants facing deportation and unaccompanied children. 

To schedule an appointment for a consultation, call or text 832-699-6942.

Tahirih Justice Center

The Tahirih Justice Center is a national nonprofit that provides legal and social services to survivors of gender-based violence, including domestic violence, forced marriage and sexual assault. 

Its Houston office opened in 2009. In addition to offering legal representation, the Tahirih Justice Center offers services to those facing or fleeing forced marriages. 

The nonprofit’s work is made possible by a network of pro bono lawyers, doctors, psychologists and other professionals. To connect with one of them, call 713-496-0100.

Law school clinics

Many law schools offer pro bono legal services in the form of clinics where students can practice their craft and gain real-world experience.

The University of Houston Law Center has eight clinics, ranging from mediation to criminal defense. To get more information, call 713-743-2094.

The South Texas College of Law Houston offers similar services. To apply for legal assistance, call 713-646-2990.

The Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University has clinics for family law, criminal defense, wills, probate and guardianship, and immigration law. To learn more, call 713-313-7275.

Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library

This free library at 1019 Congress St. in downtown Houston is a one-stop shop for important legal forms and self-help guides. It’s intended to help everyone from self-represented defendants to legal professionals.

To find more resources and groups, go to TexasLawHelp.org and use the legal help directory.

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Monroe Trombly is a public safety reporter at the Houston Landing. Monroe comes to Texas from Ohio. He most recently worked at the Columbus Dispatch, where he covered breaking and trending news. Before...