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Low-Cost Legal Assistance and Self Help Tools in Dane County : Civil Rights

A list of legal assistance agencies and clinics in Dane County, WI. Organized by area of law.

American Civil Liberties Union

207 E. Buffalo St. #325
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Phone: (414) 272-4032
Fax: (414) 272-0182
Email: liberty@aclu-wi.org
Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 P.M.

Legal Assistance - help and support with legal issues surrounding civil liberties. No legal advice is given.

Eligibility - Services provided to all regardless of ability to pay. Intake procedure: http://www.aclu-wi.org/get-legal-help

Costs - Free services

Contact - No particular contact person

Staff - Legal assistants. Will have one attorney in the near future

Publications - A number of publications accessible via ACLU of Wisconsin's web site - http://www.aclu-wi.org

Community Justice, Inc.

222 South Hamilton St., Suite 22
Phone: (608) 204-9642
Hours: Monday-Thursday 1:00 P.M. - 4:00 P.M.

Legal Assistance - Representation in many areas, including landlord/tenant, disability and mental health, employment, discrimination, consumer/credit child welfare, land use, environmental, and criminal law.

Eligibility - Individuals who are underrepresented and/or unable to afford an attorney. Potential clients must first participate in an intake phone interview that lasts 10-30 minutes.

Costs - Affordable representation through income-sensitive fees

Staff - Six lawyers, five of whom are graduates of UW

Publications - Web page - http://www.communityjusticeinc.org/ (includes client brochure and an online contact form)

Fair Housing Center of Greater Madison

600 Williamson St, Suite L4
Madison, WI 53703
(608) 257-0853
Toll-free statewide complaint intake hotline: 1-877-647-3247
Fax: (608) 257-1445

Legal Assistance - Conducts intake of fair housing complaints from the general public and counsels complainants on their options for administrative or judicial remedy. Also provides investigative services for persons who allege housing discrimination.

Eligibility - Members of the general public who allege housing discrimination.

Costs - Contact office

Publications - Web site - http://www.fairhousingwisconsin.com

Legal Assistance to Institutionalized Persons

Frank J. Remington Center
University of Wisconsin Law School
975 Bascom Mall, Room 4318
Madison, WI 53703-2208
Phone: (608) 262-1002
Email: fjrc@law.wisc.edu
Hours: Monday - Friday 7:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Legal Assistance - Civil legal services to inmates as part of a UW Law School clinical program including: Inmates in minimum-security institutions in the Wisconsin Prison System; Inmates in county jails in Wisconsin; Patients in mental health centers in Wisconsin, including the Wisconsin Resource Center; Inmates in prisons or jails outside of Wisconsin; Individuals on probation or parole supervision; or Any individuals who are not incarcerated.

Eligibility - Prisoners in maximum or medium-security prisons and prisoners in the federal prison at Oxford, Wisconsin. Inmates seeking assistance from LAIP must complete an "interview/information request form" (form # DOC-643) available at the particular institution. Inmates are scheduled for interviews on a "first come, first served" basis, and should bring relevant documents to the interview if possible. LAIP may decline to interview inmates who have already been assisted.

Costs - Free services

Contact - fjrc@law.wisc.edu

Staff - UW law students under supervision of faculty. 

Publications - Information available on a sub page of the UW Law School's web site at http://www.law.wisc.edu/FJR/laip/index.htm.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People - Dane County

PO Box 44366
Madison, WI 53744
Phone (608) 256-1942
Fax: (608) 256-2944
Email : naacpab36ab@gmail.com
Hours: None Listed

*Note - NAACP WI also has branches in Milwaukee, Racine, Rock, Ozaukee, and Waukesha Counties

Legal Assistance - discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion, native  origin, sexual orientation or  other basis. While the Legal Redress Committee cannot offer legal advice, they can be partners in mediation or refer complainants to attorneys; contingent on availability of funds and volunteers

Eligibility - Dane County residents who have filled out a Complaint of Discrimination Form

Costs - Free to file complaint

Contact - naacpab36ab@gmail.com or through their website

Publications - Dane County NAACP Website or Dane County NAACP Facebook Page

See also the NAACP Wisconsin State Conference Website

Crisis Magazine Loop Newsletter; See the national organization's web site at http://www.naacp.org

Outreach, Inc.

600 Williamson Street
Madison, WI 53703-3588
(608) 255-8582
Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00am-9:00pm; Saturday 12:00pm-4pm
Email: harrys@lgbtoutreach.org

Legal Assistance - Discrimination and family issues surrounding LGBT families

Eligibility -LGBT people and their families.

Staff - Includes counselors and pro bono attorneys.

Publications: Website at http://lgbtoutreach.org/