We offer services only in civil (non-criminal) matters.  We do not have the resources to handle every eligible client’s case. Our staff must choose those cases in which our help will have a significant impact on the client.

The types of cases we take include:

• Housing Law – Landlord/tenant issues, foreclosure and other housing problems
• Domestic Violence Protection – help survivors of domestic violence and their families achieve safety and stability
• Healthcare/Public Benefits – Assist with state-run programs such as MO HealthNet (Medicaid), food stamps, Temporary Assistance and Blind Pension
• Federal Rights – Help with federal benefit claims such as Social Security, SSI, and Medicare
• Veterans – Help veterans and their family members in a variety of legal matters
• Immigration Law – Help immigrants with residency and citizenship
• Mental Healthcare – Help adults with mental illness in a variety of legal matters
• Consumer Law – Help individuals with creditor/debtor problems and victims of deceptive or predatory lending
• Low Income Taxpayer Clinic – Help with IRS disputes
• Migrant Farmworkers Project – Provide legal services to migrant and seasonal farmworkers throughout Missouri
• Economic Development – Represent nonprofit community organizations in neighborhood improvement activities
• Guardianships for minors and incapacitated adults
• Municipal Court Defense – represent on OPEN cases in Kansas City Municipal Court in which the city is seeking jail time.

If you are not sure, go ahead and apply for help.

• Personal injury lawsuits
• Workers’ Compensation cases
• Criminal cases, including traffic violations
• Class actions
• Actions on behalf of those in prison or jail

You must meet our income requirements, have a legal problem that falls within our priority areas, and live in our service area. 

If you do not qualify for our services, we will tell you right away.

You should call the phone number listed for the office that serves your county. The person who answers the phone will explain the process for getting help. You should be prepared to answer questions about your household income and the nature of your legal problem. It is extremely helpful if you have the papers about your legal problem available when you call.

We respect your privacy. Legal Aid will not tell anyone else anything about you unless you want us to.

If you do qualify for Legal Aid help:

• We will tell you about how to solve your problem yourself. We may also give you some written information about your legal rights.
• We may ask you to send us more information about your case. We will review it before we meet with you again to give you more advice.
• We may need to do some legal research and discuss your legal issues before we can help you. We will meet with you again later.
• We may represent you in court proceedings or at a hearing

Legal Aid’s phone lines can get overloaded at certain times of the day – and it can be difficult to get through on the phone. Your call is important, so you are encouraged to keep trying. Don’t wait until the last minute to call about an emergency.

No. Most of the callers will receive legal advice, but because of limited staff and resources we are unable to help everyone who needs us. Many applicants are referred to another agency if their legal problem does not fall within our priorities.

Our offices do not have the resources to represent everyone who needs our services. Because of this, we have to make decisions on which cases take priority. Each case will be given individual attention with the facts and circumstances being carefully considered. We believe every case is important to those needing our help. However, with thousands of applications each year we must unfortunately make very difficult decisions to devote our limited resources to those most in need.

There is no charge for our legal services. However, you may be asked to pay other costs associated with your case such as filing fees, deposition fees, transcript fees, or other court costs. Legal Aid does have resources to help with these associated costs of litigation. Please apply even if you think you can’t afford it.

We always try to accommodate applicants with Limited English Proficiency and other special needs. Please let our receptionist know if you need a translator or other special services.

Si necesita un intérprete, pídale a nuestra recepcionista.

• Kansas City (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. – formerly Blue Parkway)
• Westside Kansas City
• Joplin
• St. Joseph
• Warrensburg

If we are unable to take your case, we may be able to refer you to other agencies or resources that can offer legal assistance. You can also check the Legal Resources section on our website to find information specific to your legal problem.