Legal Aid in Berks County: An Overview
Legal aid is a term that refers to legal services that are provided free of charge to those who cannot afford to pay for them. Legal aid organizations are not government-funded; rather, they are non-profit organizations. The goal of legal aid is to make justice more accessible to low-income individuals, which enhances and strengthens communities like ours here in Berks County. Legal aid refers to civil issues, not criminal law matters, which means that people who are facing criminal charges will need to find a criminal defense attorney on his or her own if they cannot afford the fees and costs associated with hiring an attorney.
Some of the most common types of cases handled by legal aid attorneys relate to poverty and domestic violence , such as spousal abuse, unemployment, public benefits, housing problems and foreclosures, child support issues, Medicaid and Medicare questions, and issues surrounding consumer rights and bankruptcy. Because legal aid organizations receive a lot of their funding from the state and federal government, there is typically a screening process in place for potential clients. Only those with certain criteria are accepted for legal aid. For example, applicants should not make 150 percent above the poverty level in order to qualify for legal aid.
Legal Aid Resources & Organizations in Berks County
Berks County has several prominent legal aid organizations that provide invaluable services to low-income residents in need of free legal assistance. The following are a few of the major organizations doing critical work in the community.
Berks County Bar Association
The Berks County Bar Association (BCBA) represents attorneys legally authorized to practice law in the county. The BCBA is located in Reading, Berks’ county seat. The bar association runs the Berks Pro Bono Program that provides free legal counsel to individuals and families in need. It also organizes various volunteer programs and services to assist low-income citizens facing legal issues including bankruptcy, family law, housing, juvenile, debtor/creditor, guardianship, and abuse cases. The Berks Pro Bono Program is overseen by a board president, board vice president, board secretary, board treasurer, and program director. A volunteer attorney coordinator, an administrative assistant, and nurse-midwife also assist the program staff. Several statewide legal aid programs and networks for pro bono and low-cost legal services work in conjunction with the Berks Pro Bono Program.
Community Justice Project
The Community Justice Project (CJP) is a nonprofit organization based in Reading. Funded largely by the United Way of Berks County and the Berks County Public Library System, it helps parents and legal guardians of children at risk of being removed from their homes or those who have previously been removed from their families for abuse or neglect. CJP attorneys also assist incarcerated people who are parents—and their family members—dealing with matters such as child custody, guardianship, and termination of parental rights.
Reading Area Community Interfaith Alliance
The Reading Area Community Interfaith Alliance (RACIA) provides pro bono legal services to residents in Reading and surrounding areas. Staffed by volunteer attorneys from throughout the area, RACIA offers immediate advice and guidance, and direct representation when appropriate. The organization’s short-term goals are to provide quality legal services in a more cost-effective manner than for-profit agencies, and to educate clients about administrative or other community resources that may help them.
Who is Eligible for Legal Aid in Berks County?
In order to qualify for legal aid services, you must meet certain criteria. One of the primary criteria is that your income must fall below a certain limit. On top of this, legal aid services are only provided in areas of legal assistance that include the following: consumer, education, elder law, employment, environmental, family law, health, housing, income support, immigration, juvenile, money & debt, personal injury, public utilities, real estate, and tax. To qualify according to income, your income must fall at or below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines. The limits vary depending on the size of your household. As for documentation, you will need to provide proof of your income for the most recent 30-day period, government-issued photo IDs for yourself in any spouse or other adults living in the house, proof of income or benefits earned by other residents of the house, bank statements for the last 3 months, pay stubs for the last 2 months, and other income statements. For a complete list of documents that may be needed for eligibility, refer to the PA Legal Services website. To apply for legal aid, you have to fill out a case service application form. You can apply online, by mail, in person, or over the phone. You will be assigned an attorney after filling out the form. From there, a team will work to resolve your case.
Common Legal Issues Handled by Legal Aid Services
The Berks County legal aid system is primarily organized through an organization called Community Legal Services of Reading which serves the community in a number of ways. Community Legal services will provide assistance in several practice areas, including economic security, employment and family law, housing, and access to justice. Economic security, perhaps more commonly referred to as "public benefits" in this area, consists of several subcategories, including public utilities and Public Assistance. Issues related to public utility include electricity, natural gas, water, and the like. The purpose of public utility assistance is to make sure that lower-income individuals and families are not denied basic utility services . Public Assistance is meant to assist low-income individuals who are seeking long-term financial stability through government assistance. This may be in the form of subsidized food programs (often referred to as SNAP or WIC), access to medical benefits (like Medical Assistance and/or CHIP), child support, and more. Career Links is an example of a program where those receiving public assistance can also visit to gain vocational assistance. Consumer Rights deals with debt collection and additional civil cases. Family Law focuses on divorces, custody, support, and protection from abuse. Housing deals with issues in the areas of landlord/tenant and real estate.
How to Apply for Legal Aid in Berks County
Applying for legal aid doesn’t have to be a daunting process. In Berks County, individuals seeking legal assistance can utilize a few simple steps to access the services they need. As a reminder, legal aid is not a type of financial assistance to meet basic life needs like welfare assistance or food stamps, nor does it include help with criminal charges.
The first step to determining eligibility for legal aid in Berks County is to contact the local legal aid office. The Berks County office can be reached at 378 South 5th St., Reading, Pa., 19602. The phone number for the office is 1-800-257-5110. Those who are hearing-impaired can use the Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) at 711 to hear the office reading on their phone. Individuals can visit the Berks County government website to retrieve more information about available legal services in the area.
The second step is to determine if you are eligible for the legal aid services you’re interested in. In order to qualify for free legal services, your annual net income must be less than 125 percent of the federal poverty level. You also cannot own a business or have assets worth more than $10,000. Obviously, obtaining legal aid will be much easier if your income level is considerably below the threshold.
The third step is to fill out an application form. Your completed application form will be taken into consideration regarding your legal aid eligibility, so it’s important to do a thorough job. To complete the application form most efficiently, you’ll want to gather the following information: After you’ve filled out the application form and gathered all the necessary information, you’ll need to submit your form to the Berks County legal aid office. The document can be filed in person, over the phone, or via the internet. Once you’ve submitted the form, you’ll be informed of your eligibility status for the legal aid services you inquired about.
If you are granted the legal assistance you requested, the next step is to meet with an attorney to discuss your case. Many legal aid offices are well-staffed and are able to provide you with an appointment in a relatively short period of time.
Alternatives to Legal Aid
Alternatives to Legal Aid Services in Berks County include refers to the services that are provided by non-legal aid related entities. Pro bono lawyer services are essential to making sure people have access to the justice system. Pro bono lawyers provide a high level of legal service, free of charge. Legal Aid Services often refer individuals to pro bono attorneys for legal assistance. Pro Bono is a Latin term which means "for the public good." Many legal professionals, including private lawyers, law students, and judges, provide Pro Bono legal assistance to those who cannot afford an attorney.
Pro bono volunteers are necessary because many businesses and individuals cannot afford to pay for legal services. The need for competent legal help is ever increasing and the supply of lawyers who do not charge fees is not enough.
Attorneys with experience and expertise are more likely to take the more complex cases that require extensive time and attention and may lead to the loss, or substantial detriment, of a client’s rights if they have to be handled by a less experienced attorney.
Some of the matters for which pro bono lawyers are most frequently used include: child custody, divorce, bankruptcy, representation in guardianship matters, foreclosure proceedings, landlord-tenant disputes, civil recuperations, social security benefits representation and expungements (the process of erasing criminal records).
Legal clinics provide pro bono legal assistance by experienced attorneys with expertise in specific areas of law. Legal clinics are held at convenient and accessible locations in your community , and are free of charge. People who seek legal advice or representation at a legal clinic make an appointment and meet one-on-one with an attorney. Since these clinics are limited to one-time assistance on a particular legal topic, attorneys who provide services do not represent clients beyond the one-time appointment. Attorneys offering this assistance may be private practitioners, judges, law professors, or law students. This is an excellent opportunity to understand your legal issue better and to learn what steps you may be able to take.
Legal clinic services are available on a periodic basis from Public Interest Law Center and Berks County Bar Association, along with a number of other agencies including the Senior Center, Neighborhood Housing Services and the Women’s Center.
Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) of Greater Berks is one of 240 NHS agencies throughout the nation providing mortgage financing solutions and free pre-purchase and post-purchase counseling services. NHS of Greater Berks provides a variety of services, including pre-purchase education, pre-purchase and foreclosure counseling, post-purchase education and counseling, EnergyWorks home performance services, downpayment assistance loans, and homeownership preservation loans.
NHS of Greater Berks can help homeowners find affordable options to avoid foreclosure through the Homeowner Education Workshop. The workshop provides information on how to avoid delinquency, budgeting, implementing a sustainable payment plan and homeowner assistance programs available to homeowners.
