Legal Aid of North Carolina is holding free, self-help legal clinics on custody and simple divorce in Henderson this month (see details below). The clinics educate participants about their legal rights and empower them to file certain basic legal actions without an attorney. The clinics are free and open to the public, but advance registration is required since space is limited.
|
Infinite Possibilities 314 S. Garnett St. Henderson, NC 27536 |
Tuesday, June 14 Child Custody and Visitation |
Thursday, June 16 Simple Divorce |
Legal Aid’s Blaine Mays organizes the clinics. “People don’t need lawyers for some basic legal issues,” he says. “If you have an uncomplicated child custody issue or need a divorce that doesn’t involve kids or shared property, we can teach you how to fill out and file the paperwork with the courts, all by yourself.”
At the clinics, participants watch a video presentation that walks them step-by-step though the process of filling out the correct legal forms. Participants are provided with a packet containing all the forms and information they need. After the presentation, a volunteer attorney can answer participants’ general questions about the topic.
“We design these clinics so participants can walk right into the courthouse and file the paperwork that day,” Mays says. “These clinics are a really effective way to provide some level of legal help to lots of people at one time. There are so many North Carolinians who need legal help, and we simply don’t have the resources to help each of them individually.”
Legal Aid holds clinics at 33 locations across the state, including churches, community centers, libraries, senior centers, community colleges, and Legal Aid offices. The child custody clinic is held on the second Tuesday of every month, and the divorce clinic is held on the third Thursday of every month. There is also a quarterly clinic on health care powers of attorney and living wills.
The full clinic schedule and registration instructions are on Legal Aid’s website at www.legalaidnc.org/get-help/Pages/self-help-clinics.aspx.