Legal Aid in Scranton: A Primer
Many individuals find themselves in situations where the complexities of the law can present significant challenges. It is during these trying times that legal aid services become crucial in providing the necessary assistance to navigate legal matters. One such location where residents can access these critical services is in Scranton, a city that offers a range of legal aid organizations dedicated to supporting those in need.
Legal aid services are designed to provide legal help to individuals who cannot afford to hire an attorney. This is particularly important in Scranton, where financial constraints and limited access to legal representation can be a common hurdle for many residents. Such services help bridge the gap between those in need and the legal assistance they require to address various legal issues .
In Scranton, legal aid services umbrella a wide array of legal matters. These issues commonly include family law matters such as custody disputes and divorces, housing matters such as eviction defenses, and employment issues including wage disputes. There are also programs that provide critical legal support for the elderly, individuals with disabilities, and those facing abuse, among others.
This introduction to legal aid in Scranton highlights the foundational role these services play in fostering equal access to justice. For those in appropriate circumstances, turning to a legal aid organization can offer a viable pathway to obtaining the necessary legal assistance for pressing legal matters.
Legal Aid Service Types
The availability of legal aid services in Scranton is crucial for those who may not have the means to afford private representation. Areas of law the legal aid community addresses include family law, housing law, consumer rights, HIV/AIDS, accessibility for the disabled, and welfare law. These services are offered by a number of organizations, including the Lackawanna Pro Bono Law Center, Community Justice Project, Neighborhood Legal Services Association, Pennsylvania Health Law Project, and Family Services Association of NEPA.
The Lackawanna Pro Bono Law Center offers services that focus largely on family law, particularly divorce and separation, domestic violence, intercountry adoptions, and involuntary civil commitments of the mentally ill. It serves individuals of limited means in Lackawanna County, the state of Luzerne, and Susquehanna and Wyoming Counties, as well as residents of foreign countries with family members in Lackawanna County. Catholic Social Services provides legal representation for divorces on a reduced fee basis and small fee for court costs. Initiatives of this law center include helping parties understand and complete protection from abuse petitions and paperwork for child support filing.
The Community Justice Project is an organization that offers full representation in a variety of areas of civil law. Its services include representation in unemployment compensation matters, advocacy for medical needs at IEP meetings, protection from fraudulent real estate transactions, and assistance with habeas corpus petitions.
Neighborhood Legal Services Association assists clients with family law matters such as divorce, custody, guardianship of minors, and protection from abuse orders, as well as housing law matters including evictions and landlord/tenant disputes. Clients must meet guidelines for limited financial resources to qualify for these services.
The Pennsylvania Health Law Project provides a wide range of legal representation in consumer rights matters. It assists with a number of legal issues like denials of coverage for prescriptions, discharge denials, unfair insurance practices, access to needed specialty care, and lack of coverage for physical therapies. The Family Services Association provides a number of services including family law, public benefits, and immigration.
Eligibility for Legal Aid
To access legal aid services in Scranton, you must qualify based on your financial and legal situation. There are income requirements that vary by organization, but you are typically required to make no more than 125 percent of the federal poverty level, which is currently $29,425 for a family of four. Your income generally must be derived from a job in which you have been continuously employed for at least six months. As an example of documentation, the legal aid organization may ask for W-2 forms or pay stubs to verify your income. The organization could also require tax returns from the previous two years.
You typically cannot receive legal aid help unless you are a victim of domestic violence, a senior citizen, experiencing discrimination or dealing with a protection from abuse order. A legal aid organization may suggest that you hire a private attorney if you do not qualify for legal assistance, although there are exceptions (such as a significant hardship because you are disabled or speak a foreign language and need an interpreter).
Locating Legal Aid Entities
There are several leading legal aid providers in the Scranton area. Many of these organizations focus on low-income families and individuals who are struggling to make ends meet. Most of the legal aid charities and government organizations in the area are well established, and have a proven track record. They coordinate with dozens of local, state and federal agencies to ensure that low-income individuals and families have ample recourse include in times of need. Here are some of the leading legal aid resources in the Scranton area:
Luzerne and Wyoming County Public Defender
Address: 2 Public Square, Wilkes Barre, PA 18711-0790
Phone: 570-825-1741
Website: luzernecountypublicdefender.org
The Luzerne County Public Defender is tasked with representing indigent criminal defendants. The Deputy Chief Public Defender and Chief Public Defender handles all criminal cases. Additional public defenders handle a variety of different types of matters including juvenile criminal matters, support, dependency, appellate cases, and civil cases on behalf of the Luzerne County Public Defender Office.
Luzerne County Bar Association
Address: 98 Public Sq Suite 101, Wilkes Barre, PA 18701
Phone: 570-825-2790
Website: luzernecountybar.com
Luzerne County Bar Association provides a wealth of information regarding the local legal community. They provide resources for individuals seeking a personal attorney, as well as those looking for pro bono and legal aid attorneys. Their website also has information about the local courts and judges, and they can refer individuals to local organizations who provide legal guidance and help volunteers connect with individuals in need of legal help.
Luzerne County Victim/Witness Services
Address: 200 N River St Suite 221, Wilkes Barre, PA 18711
Phone: 570-829-8703
Website: luzernecountycourts.org
The Luzerne County Victim/Witness Services provides information to the general public, victims and witnesses. They provide several resources that are available online including application forms and pamphlets. Luzerne County Victim/Witness Services also provides certain individuals with financial assistance, transportation and counseling through grants provided by the federal government.
Lackawanna Bar Association
Address: 233 Penn Ave #101, Scranton, PA 18502
Phone: 570-969-6200
Website: lackawannabar.org
Lackawanna Bar Association is very similar in function to the Luzerne County Bar Association. In addition to providing information about local attorneys and law firms, the Lackawanna Bar Association also provides individuals with referrals to pro bono and legal aid attorneys. Both Bar Associations are helpful for individuals trying to find a personal attorney, or those in search of legal assistance from an attorney without charge.
Luzerne and Wyoming County Public Defender
Address: 2009 Wyoming Ave, Forty Fort, PA 18606
Phone: 570-718-7780
Website: luzernecountypublicdefender.org
Similar to Luzerne County Public Defender, the Wyoming County Public Defender provides legal representation to indigent criminal defendants who cannot afford to pay for a private attorney. Wyoming County Public Defender also handles many juvenile criminal matters, child custody matters, support and civil cases. The Chief Public Defender, First Assistant Public Defender, Deputy Public Defender, First Assistant Public Defender, and other public defenders within the office are available to assist indigent individuals and families involved with the local government and legal system.
Legal Aid of Northeastern Pennsylvania
Address: 934 Penn Ave, Scranton, PA 18510
Phone: 570-347-6501
Website: lanepA.org
As part of the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, the Legal Aid of Northeastern Pennsylvania provides legal assistance to low-income families from Scranton and surrounding areas. They serve over 3,000 local individuals each year, with 40 attorneys and 75 dedicated staff members assisting families throughout Scranton, Forest City, Lackawanna County, and Monroe County. Legal Aid of Northeastern Pennsylvania focuses its practice on family law / domestic relations, elder law, housing law, consumer law, bankruptcy law, and other civil matters.
The Community Impact of Legal Aid
The availability of legal aid services has broader implications for communities than many might realize. In Scranton, as in many cities and towns, access to justice is not a privilege. People from all walks of life can find themselves in need of legal help, and the troubles that lead to this assistance can be the start of a downward spiral that leads to big problems in the future. Ending homelessness, ensuring social justice, and establishing roots from which the community can grow: legal aid services are critical to all of it.
When the issue is homelessness or the threat of homelessness, legal aid organisations do more than simply provide ongoing legal help until the danger has passed. They supply the case management and contact information that helps participants overcome similar trials in the future. They also provide the tools needed to begin rebuilding after a rough patch, ensuring that once their services are no longer directly needed, Scranton’s residents are ready to face the future with dignity and expertise. The skill they gain here can be shared with friends and relatives who need help getting back on the right path . From there, these individuals help their neighbors as well, creating and maintaining a cycle of knowledge that leaves no one behind.
Social justice is a constant with legal aid. No matter how complicated the civil case, or how long and drawn out the criminal case may be, legal aid services are there throughout. No matter how many obstacles stand in the way of a good outcome, the lawyers providing legal aid in Scranton will do everything in their power to ensure every case is addressed as vigorously and evenly as possible. There is no room for corruption or unfairness in the face of the law, and these lawyers will treat even the most complicated cases with respect and resolve, standing up to bullies and ensuring that every citizen is provided for fairly according to the rule of law.
Finally, a greater focus on improving quality of life leaves room for growth. Legal aid services provide a clear-cut structure that helps people developing new skills improve themselves and move forward in life. This too promotes the community’s growth as a whole.
Obstacles in Obtaining Legal Aid
While many qualified organizations provide free legal services in the greater Scranton area, numerous individuals who could benefit from their assistance do not successfully access them. Many of these organizations have strict eligibility criteria based on income, and a large number of people in need of legal services fall just outside of these income thresholds. Equally problematic is that these organizations suffer from a lack of funding. The federal Legal Services Corporation largely funded initiatives that handled civil matters for low-income clients. However, funding for this group of organizations decreased in recent years, resulting in less assistance for those who cannot afford an attorney.
Another element that affects the supply and demand for legal services is geography. Although lawyers may be distributed evenly within a certain area based on population, free legal services do not dependably follow the same geographic distribution pattern. Some areas contain a larger supply of legal services organizations while others are underserved. Because there is no statewide system for attorney referrals for pro bono work, finding a local, qualified pro bono lawyer can be difficult.
Many organizations serving low-income clients do not have the resources to serve all of the individuals in their areas with the financial means to pay for legal services. As a result, demand often exceeds supply by a considerable amount. For example, in Spring 2011, the Scranton branch of the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network reported receiving 29,305 calls on its main intake line, of which 8,452 were newly seeking assistance from the organization. The Scranton intake office served 3,761 new clients, 1,511 who were unable to pay anything for legal assistance. Many of the callers simply needed general information and advice rather than comprehensive representation.
A possible solution to address the supply-and-demand issues faced by low-income people in need of legal services is to use technology. Research has found that 44 percent of low-income adults use the Internet to seek legal information. In response, several legal aid organizations have developed online interfaces with opportunities for online intake of requests for legal assistance.
Legal Aid in Scranton: A Look Ahead
The future of legal aid services in Scranton looks promising as agencies and advocates work to address ongoing needs in the community. With the establishment of new partnerships and innovative programs, legal aid organizations are taking proactive steps to ensure that all residents have access to essential legal support.
One such initiative is the Lawyers on the Loose program organized by the Pro Bono Partnership of Lebanon County. This successful project is the brainchild of attorney Scott Lockerbie of The Lockerbie Law Firm in Lebanon County and Justin Westbrook of Goldblum & Hess. Together, they coordinate volunteer lawyers from across the region who provide free legal advice to low- and moderate-income individuals who cannot afford to hire a private attorney for their legal issues. Based on the success of their program, additional events are being planned to address the legal needs of residents in Scranton and surrounding areas.
As Scranton’s demographics continue to shift, less than 10% of the population is white. This has prompted legal aid organizations to place a renewed focus on providing culturally competent services to the growing Spanish-speaking population in the area. In response, legal services providers have been actively seeking additional funding to hire bilingual staff and invest in cultural competency training for their volunteers. These efforts will help to remove language barriers and provide vital services to people who would otherwise be unable to access them.
The judicial system itself is also working hard to provide streamlined legal aid services to the public. In the past two years , both the Luzerne County Courthouse and the Monroe County Courthouse have introduced virtual intake centers for limited representation programs, which can be a game changer for individuals who struggle to attend an in-person appointment due to childcare or transportation issues. Monroe County also has adopted remote court monitoring to improve consumer protection education and awareness.
As funding opportunities become available, legal aid organizations in Scranton have the potential to expand their services even further. The Pennsylvania Interest on Lawyer Trust Account (IOLTA) board has introduced three new initiatives that will provide resources to help courthouse assistance staff deliver legal aid services to self-represented litigants throughout the state. The IOLTA board has made these funds available with the hope that courthouses will use them to help ensure that everyone has access to the information they need to navigate the legal system.
All in all, the future of legal aid in Scranton is bright, as longtime leaders in the field continue to respond to the ever-changing landscape of community needs. With recent innovations and ongoing investment in the future of legal aid, local residents will continue to have access to support services that are essential to their well-being.