Legal aid of western  michigan

Legal Aid of Western Michigan provides lawyers and legal advice for those that can't afford it themselves. You are eligible for help if you are a low income resident of Berrien County or a senior (age 60+) in either Berrien, Cass, or Van Buren Counties.

TO APPLY FOR SERVICES regarding legal issues, call 269-983-6363 or use our online application.

For callers using relay services, dial 711 and ask the operator to call 269-983-6363. Our St. Joseph office covers Berrien County

Types of Cases

Housing Maintenance

  1. Defense of eviction, forfeiture, foreclosure
  2. Illegal or constructive eviction by action of a landlord in cutting off utilities, changing locks, etc.
  3. Utility shutoffs where there is an issue other than non-payment by tenant or homeowner

Income Maintenance

  1. Representation with other agencies
  2. Representation in administrative hearings
  3. Representation in appeals of administrative decisions through administrative or court proceedings

Family Maintenance

  1. Provide legal services in preserving the existing family
  2. Insure safety and stability of family members at risk of domestic violence or child abuse

Seniors

We provide legal assistance to persons over 60 years of age which will assist them in maintaining independence in their own homes if possible.

Fees & Costs

There are no attorney fees for the work which the attorney does for you. This means that you do not have to pay the attorney for the time he/she spends working on your case. You will however have to pay out of pocket expenses such as court filing fees, fees to the sheriff for serving papers, costs of publishing notices in the newspaper, fees for obtaining copies of public records, etc.