Civil Legal Aid in Your District
Quick facts and tools for congressional offices
Congress funds the ¿ìèÊÓƵ (¿ìèÊÓƵ) to support and oversee a nationwide network of local legal services organizations, so constituents in every congressional district get help with critical civil legal issues.
Early, effective legal help keeps families stable, reduces strain on courts and emergency systems, and saves taxpayer dollars.
Resources For Your District
District Snapshot
View your district snapshot to learn about legal services in your district.
Return on Investment
Understand the return on investment (ROI) of legal aid.
Funding Impact Calculator
See how changes to funding levels impact your district's constituents.
Find your local legal aid provider.
Bipartisan Support
Hear from Congressional members on both sides of the political aisle about why they support ¿ìèÊÓƵ.
¿ìèÊÓƵ FY27 Budget: An Investment in American Families
Every year, nearly 2 million eligible Americans are turned away from their local legal services organization simply due to lack of resources. In light of this persistent justice gap, ¿ìèÊÓƵ seeks $2.1 billion from Congress for FY2027 – an amount that would enable ¿ìèÊÓƵ-funded legal services organizations to serve every eligible applicant who comes to them for help.
What ¿ìèÊÓƵ Is
- A Congressionally created 501(c)3 entity subject to congressional oversight that funds and oversees local, nonpartisan civil legal aid providers in every state and territory.
- A support and accountability partner – setting standards, monitoring performance and ensuring federal dollars are used efficiently and lawfully.
- A lifeline for constituent services – helping everyday Americans resolve common civil legal problems that affect housing, family safety and stability, barriers to employment, education, consumer protection, healthcare disputes and access to rightful benefits and services.
What ¿ìèÊÓƵ Is Not
- Not a government agency providing direct legal representation. ¿ìèÊÓƵ is a grant-maker and oversight organization that oversees independent local grantees that serve constituents.
- Not criminal defense. ¿ìèÊÓƵ supports civil legal help only.
- No immigration work, with a few exceptions allowed by Congress, such as victims of human trafficking.
- No partisan political activity or lobbying with federal funds. Strict statutory restrictions apply to grantees.
- No class actions, plus other limits detailed in our restrictions overview.
Quick Facts
Nationwide reach
¿ìèÊÓƵ-funded programs serve constituents in every congressional district.
Unresolved legal issues that have downstream impacts
Evictions, domestic violence, protection orders, wage theft, veterans’ benefits, guardianships and disaster recovery all involve complex legal processes that are hard to navigate without help.
Nonpartisan mission
¿ìèÊÓƵ is strictly nonpartisan and is a good steward of taxpayer dollars that provides robust oversight.
Oversight and efficiency
¿ìèÊÓƵ monitors grantees for compliance, outcomes and financial good governance.
Civil focus
Housing, family safety, employment, veterans and seniors’ issues, disaster recovery and consumer matters.
Local partners
Grantees collaborate with courts, bar associations, schools, hospitals and health clinics and community organizations.
Examples of Civil Legal Help
Keeping families safe
Civil protection orders and custody arrangements in domestic violence cases.
Preventing homelessness
Defense against unlawful evictions and securing safe, stable housing.
Getting back to work
Clearing civil barriers to employment and securing wages and benefits people have earned.
Serving veterans and seniors
Access to earned benefits, healthcare and guardianship protections.
Recovering from disasters
Replacing documents, appealing FEMA decisions, preventing contractor fraud.
How We Steward Federal Dollars
- Competitive grants with clear performance metrics
- Regular compliance reviews and audits
- Data-driven oversight.
Have Questions?
Our government affairs team can provide district-specific information, answer questions about restrictions and oversight and connect you with your local ¿ìèÊÓƵ-funded provider.