Available Legal Help
EXPLAINING WHAT WE DO
We connect you with legal help specific to your unique situation. The help varies based on the legal matter. It may include one or more of the following.
- Advice: Providing legal explanations and guidance, including options and next steps.
- General assistance: Helping you complete forms, sharing information about court procedures or available resources, and providing guidance on self-representation.
- Referral: Connecting you with another resource or legal service provider.
- Full representation: Working with you for an entire legal proceeding.
| LEGAL MATTER | Description | Example Scenario | Available Help |
|---|---|---|---|
| Background check | A potential employer or other entity collects and confirms information about your past. The check could include your education, job history, credit history, criminal history, driving record and more. | You didn’t pass a background check for a new job. You want to know what’s showing on the check and if anything can be corrected or removed. | Advice or full representation |
| Expungement | Your court records are sealed and not available to the general public. The records are still available through law enforcement agencies. | A conviction from when you were a juvenile is preventing you from getting the job you want. You need help requesting an expungement. | Advice or full representation |
| Municipal or forfeiture ticket | This is a citation in circuit or municipal court. Examples include equipment violations and speeding tickets. | A law enforcement official cites you for disorderly conduct, and you need to appear in municipal court. | Advice or full representation |
| Pardon | The governor forgives a felony conviction, which restores your civil rights. | An old felony conviction is making it difficult to find good housing. You think you qualify for a pardon but need help completing the application. | Advice or full representation |
| Description | Example Scenario | Available Help |
|---|---|---|
| You are trying to get back revoked, suspended, canceled, disqualified or denied driving privileges. | Your driver’s license was suspended due to unpaid traffic tickets, and you don’t know how to get it back. | Advice, general assistance, referral, or full representation |
| LEGAL MATTER | Description | Example Scenario | Available Help |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alimony | This is a court-ordered amount you pay or receive from your spouse or former spouse after legal separation or divorce. It’s also called spousal support or maintenance. | You lost your job and are having difficulty paying alimony. You need help asking the court for lower payments. | Advice or general assistance |
| Child custody and placement | Custody is the legal right to care for and make decisions for your child. Placement is the time your child spends in your and the other parent’s care. | Your child’s other parent is relocating and wants to modify the current placement order. You’re wondering what to expect during the hearing. | Advice or general assistance |
| Child support | This is a court-ordered amount you pay or receive from your child’s other parent to help cover the cost of your child’s care. | You’d like to make a change to a current order but aren’t sure what you need to do. | Advice or general assistance |
| Contempt and enforcement | A former spouse or parent does not follow the terms of a legal ruling. This could include not paying child support or alimony, not following child visitation times and more. The court is asked to honor, or enforce, the previous legal ruling. | Your former spouse is refusing to pay the alimony agreed upon in your divorce agreement. You need help filing a motion for contempt. | Advice or general assistance |
| Divorce and legal separation | In both divorce and legal separation, spouses divide property and debt, determine alimony and determine child custody arrangements and support (if applicable). Under a legal separation, the marriage continues. Under a divorce, the marriage ends. | You and your spouse need help completing a marital settlement agreement. | Advice or general assistance |
| Guardianship of minor | The court gives a person the legal power and responsibilities of a parent. The guardian cares and makes decisions for the child. | You need help filing for temporary guardianship of your granddaughter. | Advice or general assistance |
| Paternity | This is legally establishing the identity of your child’s biological father. | You need help responding to a petition for paternity. | Advice or general assistance |
| LEGAL MATTER | Description | Example Scenario | Available Help |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bankruptcy | This is a legal process that can help you get rid of debt or set up a payment plan. There are several types of bankruptcy. | You can’t pay your debts and need advice on which type of bankruptcy to file for. | Advice or general assistance |
| Debt | You owe money to a business or person. | You received notice of a wage garnishment order and need help filing an exemption claim. | Advice or general assistance |
| LEGAL MATTER | Description | Example Scenario | Available Help |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eviction | Your landlord is removing you from the property you’re renting. | Although you were behind on your rent payment, you paid the full amount before the due date given in the eviction notice. Your landlord is continuing with the eviction anyway. | Advice or full representation |
| Housing rights violation | You’re being discriminated against because of your race, religion, gender, national origin, familial status or disability. | Your landlord is charging you a pet deposit for your service animal. | Advice or full representation |
| Security deposit return | Your landlord is refusing to return some or all of your security deposit. | You left your apartment in good condition, but your landlord is charging an unreasonable amount to make small repairs. | Advice or full representation |
| Unsafe housing conditions | The property you’re renting has a problem that makes it unsafe or unhealthy to live in. | Your landlord refuses to fix a leaky roof. Mold is growing on the ceiling, and your belongings are being damaged. | Advice or full representation |
| LEGAL MATTER | Description | Example Scenario | Available Help |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asylum | You came to the U.S. because you were being persecuted or were afraid you would be persecuted in your home country. | You need help completing and filing an asylum application. | Advice, general assistance or referral |
| General | This covers a variety of immigration matters, including bringing a family member to the U.S., getting a green card and becoming a U.S. citizen. | You’re undocumented and want to know if you qualify for immigration relief. | Advice, general assistance or referral |
| Description | Example Scenario | Available Help |
|---|---|---|
| This is legally changing your name and gender on official documents (for example, your birth certificate or driver’s license). | You need help filling out forms and petitioning the court to change the name and gender on your birth certificate. | Advice, general assistance or full representation |
| Description | Example Scenario | Available Help |
|---|---|---|
| You applied for or are receiving a public benefit, such as BadgerCare Plus, FoodShare, Kinship Care, unemployment compensation, Wisconsin Medicaid, Wisconsin Shares or Wisconsin Works (W-2). | Your FoodShare application was denied, and you need help with a fair hearing. | Advice, general assistance, referral, or full representation |
| LEGAL MATTER |
|---|
| Background Check |
| Description |
| A potential employer or other entity collects and confirms information about your past. The check could include your education, job history, credit history, criminal history, driving record and more. |
| Example Scenario |
| You didn’t pass a background check for a new job. You want to know what’s showing on the check and if anything can be corrected or removed. |
| Available Help |
| Advice or full representation |
| LEGAL MATTER |
| Expungement |
| Description |
| Your court records are sealed and not available to the general public. The records are still available through law enforcement agencies. |
| Example Scenario |
| A conviction from when you were a juvenile is preventing you from getting the job you want. You need help requesting an expungement. |
| Available Help |
| Advice or full representation |
| LEGAL MATTER |
| Municipal or forfeiture ticket |
| Description |
| This is a citation in circuit or municipal court. Examples include equipment violations and speeding tickets. |
| Example Scenario |
| A law enforcement official cites you for disorderly conduct, and you need to appear in municipal court. |
| Available Help |
| Advice or full representation |
| LEGAL MATTER |
| Pardon |
| Description |
| The governor forgives a felony conviction, which restores your civil rights. |
| Example Scenario |
| An old felony conviction is making it difficult to find good housing. You think you qualify for a pardon but need help completing the application. |
| Available Help |
| Advice or full representation |
| Description |
|---|
| You are trying to get back revoked, suspended, canceled, disqualified or denied driving privileges. |
| Example Scenario |
| Your driver’s license was suspended due to unpaid traffic tickets, and you don’t know how to get it back. |
| Available Help |
| Advice, general assistance, referral, or full representation |
| LEGAL MATTER |
|---|
| Alimony |
| Description |
| This is a court-ordered amount you pay or receive from your spouse or former spouse after legal separation or divorce. It’s also called spousal support or maintenance. |
| Example Scenario |
| You lost your job and are having difficulty paying alimony. You need help asking the court for lower payments. |
| Available Help |
| Advice or general assistance |
| LEGAL MATTER |
| Child custody and placement |
| Description |
| Custody is the legal right to care for and make decisions for your child. Placement is the time your child spends in your and the other parent’s care. |
| Example Scenario |
| Your child’s other parent is relocating and wants to modify the current placement order. You’re wondering what to expect during the hearing. |
| Available Help |
| Advice or general assistance |
| LEGAL MATTER |
| Child support |
| Description |
| This is a court-ordered amount you pay or receive from your child’s other parent to help cover the cost of your child’s care. |
| Example Scenario |
| You’d like to make a change to a current order but aren’t sure what you need to do. |
| Available Help |
| Advice or general assistance |
| LEGAL MATTER |
| Contempt and enforcement |
| Description |
| A former spouse or parent does not follow the terms of a legal ruling. This could include not paying child support or alimony, not following child visitation times and more. The court is asked to honor, or enforce, the previous legal ruling. |
| Example Scenario |
| Your former spouse is refusing to pay the alimony agreed upon in your divorce agreement. You need help filing a motion for contempt. |
| Available Help |
| Advice or general assistance |
| LEGAL MATTER |
| Divorce and legal separation |
| Description |
| In both divorce and legal separation, spouses divide property and debt, determine alimony and determine child custody arrangements and support (if applicable). Under a legal separation, the marriage continues. Under a divorce, the marriage ends. |
| Example Scenario |
| You and your spouse need help completing a marital settlement agreement. |
| Available Help |
| Advice or general assistance |
| LEGAL MATTER |
| Advice or general assistance Guardianship of minor |
| Description |
| The court gives a person the legal power and responsibilities of a parent. The guardian cares and makes decisions for the child. |
| Example Scenario |
| You need help filing for temporary guardianship of your granddaughter. |
| Available Help |
| Advice or general assistance |
| LEGAL MATTER |
| Paternity |
| Description |
| This is legally establishing the identity of your child’s biological father. |
| Example Scenario |
| You need help responding to a petition for paternity. |
| Available Help |
| Advice or general assistance |
| LEGAL MATTER |
|---|
| Bankruptcy |
| Description |
| This is a legal process that can help you get rid of debt or set up a payment plan. There are several types of bankruptcy. |
| Example Scenario |
| You can’t pay your debts and need advice on which type of bankruptcy to file for. |
| Available Help |
| Advice or general assistance |
| LEGAL MATTER |
| Debt |
| Description |
| You owe money to a business or person. |
| Example Scenario |
| You received notice of a wage garnishment order and need help filing an exemption claim. |
| Available Help |
| Advice or general assistance |
| LEGAL MATTER |
|---|
| Eviction |
| Description |
| Your landlord is removing you from the property you’re renting. |
| Example Scenario |
| Although you were behind on your rent payment, you paid the full amount before the due date given in the eviction notice. Your landlord is continuing with the eviction anyway. |
| Help Available |
| Advice or full representation |
| LEGAL MATTER |
| Housing rights violation |
| Description |
| You’re being discriminated against because of your race, religion, gender, national origin, familial status or disability. |
| Example Scenario |
| Your landlord is charging you a pet deposit for your service animal. |
| Help Available |
| Advice or full representation |
| LEGAL MATTER |
| Security deposit return |
| Description |
| Your landlord is refusing to return some or all of your security deposit. |
| Example Scenario |
| You left your apartment in good condition, but your landlord is charging an unreasonable amount to make small repairs. |
| Help Available |
| Advice or full representation |
| LEGAL MATTER |
| Unsafe housing conditions |
| Description |
| The property you’re renting has a problem that makes it unsafe or unhealthy to live in. |
| Example Scenario |
| Your landlord refuses to fix a leaky roof. Mold is growing on the ceiling, and your belongings are being damaged. |
| Help Available |
| Advice or full representation |
| LEGAL MATTER |
|---|
| Asylum |
| Description |
| You came to the U.S. because you were being persecuted or were afraid you would be persecuted in your home country. |
| Example Scenario |
| You need help completing and filing an asylum application. |
| Available Help |
| Advice, general assistance or referral |
| LEGAL MATTER |
| General |
| Description |
| This covers a variety of immigration matters, including bringing a family member to the U.S., getting a green card and becoming a U.S. citizen. |
| Example Scenario |
| You’re undocumented and want to know if you qualify for immigration relief. |
| Available Help |
| Advice, general assistance or referral |
| Description |
|---|
| This is legally changing your name and gender on official documents (for example, your birth certificate or driver’s license). |
| Example Scenario |
| You need help filling out forms and petitioning the court to change the name and gender on your birth certificate. |
| Available Help |
| Advice, general assistance or full representation |
| Description |
|---|
| You applied for or are receiving a public benefit, such as BadgerCare Plus, FoodShare, Kinship Care, unemployment compensation, Wisconsin Medicaid, Wisconsin Shares or Wisconsin Works (W-2). |
| Example Scenario |
| Your FoodShare application was denied, and you need help with a fair hearing. |
| Available Help |
| Advice, general assistance, referral, or full representation |