DPLS can assist you only if you meet financial eligibility guidelines and if your case is the type of case which our Board of Directors has identified as a program priority. Within our broad program priorities, each DPLS branch office has its own case acceptance guidelines, so that each office can focus on the particular needs of their service area. You should understand that DPLS’ limited resources may prevent us from taking some cases, even though the case is one identified as a program priority. Please apply to the branch office serving your county or reservation regarding their case acceptance guidelines and whether they have the ability to accept your case.
Legal Services Corporation regulations also place restrictions on the type of work DPLS can do. For example, these regulations prohibit DPLS from filing class actions, collecting attorney fees, representing prisoners in civil actions, representing people in drug-related public housing evictions, and representing certain categories of immigrants. With a few exceptions, DPLS will not be able to assist you if you have a “fee generating case,” such as a case seeking recovery of money damages.
DPLS Priorities:
Indian Law
Family Law
- Adoption
- Custody/visitation
- Divorce
- Guardianship
- Name change (limited to advice & referral only)
- Parental rights termination
- Paternity
- Spouse abuse
- Support (in court representation of obligees in State court child support cases are only undertaken in special circumstances after review and approval by a managing attorney).
- Other family
- Juvenile court cases will only be accepted when DPLS is court appointed.
Criminal Defense
- LSC regulations (45 CFR Secs. 1613.3 and 1613.4) permit representation in a criminal proceeding in state or federal court only pursuant to court appointment or when required by professional responsibility in a case in which DPLS is already representing the client. This restriction does not apply in tribal court, so DPLS can provide criminal defense representation in tribal courts. However, if the tribal court system in question has a separate public defender’s office, you should seek representation from that office.
Health
- Medicaid
- Medicare
- Other health
Housing
- Federally subsidized housing rights
- Homeownership/real property
- Landlord/tenant (other than public housing)
- Other public housing
- Other housing
Income Maintenance
- AFDC/other welfare
- Black lung
- Food stamps/commodities
- Social security
- SSI
- Unemployment compensation
- Veterans benefits
- Workers compensation
- Other income maintenance
Education
Economic Development Assistance and Incorporation
Consumer/Finance
- Collection (including repossession / deficiency garnishment)
- Contracts/warranties
- Credit access
- Energy (other than public utilities)
- Loans/installment purchase (other than collection)
- Public utilities
- Unfair sales practices
- Other consumer/finance
Individual Rights and other Civil Rights Matters
- Mental health
- Physically disabled rights
- Other individual rights
Wills/Estates
- Simple wills
- Durable powers of attorney for health care
- Financial powers of attorney
- Probate cases in tribal and state court
- Indian wills
Miscellaneous
- License (auto & other)
- Other miscellaneous
