Guide from our Librarians: Local Legal Help Resources

Research Guide

Guide from our Librarians: Local Legal Help Resources

Free or Low- Cost Civil Legal Help Resources for the Kansas City Area.

Free or Low- Cost Civil Legal Help Resources for the Kansas City Area

  • Law help - Will link you to state-specific sites, you can find fact sheets, interactive forms, legal aid directory, resources in other languages, and much more. 
  • Kansas Legal Services - Statewide non-profit corporation devoted to helping low-income Kansans (various legal topics). Must apply online or by phone to receive legal help, the main number is 1-800-723-6953 calls are answered Monday through Friday from 8:00 pm to 4:30 pm. 
  • Military Matters - For Kansas City area military members and Veterans. Military Matters works to provide pro bono legal services to military service members and Veterans, who reside in or have a home of record and legal issues in the Metropolitan nine-county service territory, in any practice area. See their website for more information on referral partners and local services. 
  • Johnson County District Court  - Forms, self-help center and much more. The court is operating virtually and in person. For more information, call (913) 715-3300, Office Hours: Mon.- Fri. 8:00 am – 12:00 pm and 1:00 - 4:00 pm.  closed daily from 12:00 to 1:00 pm.
  • Kansas Judicial Branch - Various forms and resources, lawyer referral service, links to free or low-cost legal aid. Access to justice advice line, Kansas elder law hotline, and more. 
  • KU School of Law - Law students from the University of Kansas provide free federal and state tax preparation services to those who qualify through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, if you have any questions, contact the VITA office at vita@ku.edu or 785-864-9227. They offer free legal help for low-income clients in Lawrence Municipal Court and Douglas County, for more information call 785-864- 5564. They offer free medical-legal assistance from interns, please call 913-588-3731. for low-income clients, licensed attorneys offer clinics for post-conviction appeals for the Kansas area, you must write for an application to: Paul E. Wilson Project for Innocence & Post-Conviction Remedies 
    1535 W. 15th Street 
    Lawrence, KS 66045-7608 
  • Kansas Bar Association : Here you will find a various legal resources, you can also fill out a lawyer referral request form here.
  • Johnson County Law Library: The Law Library is open 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday (except county Holidays). Online you can find court forms, court rules, court fees, online catalog search, FAQ, and links to other resources. Call (913)715-4145 for more information. 
  • Washburn University School of Law: Library staff cannot interpret or explain the law to you or advise you on what laws apply to your situation. They cannot give such legal advice because it would constitute the unauthorized practice of law. Library staff can help you identify and locate needed legal materials in the Reference Collection and elsewhere in the library, instruct in the use of various legal resources in print, microform, and electronic formats, and locate facts such as names and telephone numbers. Reference librarians are available for research consultation Mon. - Fri., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please email us at libraryref@washburnlaw.edu or call 785.670.1088.

Legal Resource Starter list

General Legal Web Resources

Paths to State-Specific Resources

Evaluating Legal Resources:

Legal Research Guides:

Print Materials