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 and 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.
  • 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 Kansas City 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 8am- 5pm Monday - Friday.  
  • 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 - 
    • Free tax help: 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 or visit the website for session information.
    • Free legal help is offered to low-income clients in Lawrence Municipal Court and Douglas County, for more information call 785-864- 5564.
    • Medical legal assistance if provided for free, for more information, please call 913-588-3731.
    • Post-Conviction appeal assistance is provided for low-income clients. Licensed attorneys offer clinics, you must write to request an application.
      Write to:
      Paul E. Wilson Project for Innocence & Post-Conviction Remedies
      1535 W. 15th Street
      Lawrence, KS 66045-7608
  • Kansas Bar Association - The KBA doesn't provide free (pro bono) legal assistance or representation. If you are in need of such assistance, please contact Kansas Legal Services to find out if you qualify for legal assistance or representation through them. 
  • Johnson County Law Library: The Law Library is open 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday. Online you can find court forms, court rules, court fees, online catalog search, FAQ, and links to other resources. Call (913)715-4154, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday- Friday for more information.  
  • Washburn University School of Law: The library is open to the general public 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday - Friday.  Reference librarians are available for research consultation Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Please email libraryref@washburnlaw.edu, call 785-670-1088. for more information.

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Evaluating Legal Resources:

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