Legal Advice Clinics

Legal Advice Clinics by County

The First Judicial District serves the counties of Carver, Dakota, Goodhue, Le Sueur, McLeod, Scott, and Sibley.

Select Counties in the 1st District

Family Law Advice by Phone

Low-income people who have a court case in Carver, Dakota or Scott County can get a free 20-minute legal advice consult on family law matters from the Volunteer Lawyers Network. To schedule an appointment, please call the VLN Intake Line at (612) 752-6677 from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday.

Dakota County

Dakota County Court Administration works closely with the Dakota County Law Library and Legal Assistance of Dakota County to provide free legal clinics and other help to residents.

Dakota County Law Library 651-438-8080 - Family Law Clinic, Criminal Law Clinic

These clinics consist of free, 30-minute phone calls with licensed attorneys. These lawyers provide advice only; they do not provide representation. There are no income restrictions. To register for the Family Law Clinic, click HERE. To register for the Criminal Law Clinic, click HERE.

Legal Assistance of Dakota County 952-431-3200 - Divorce Forms Clinic, Consumer Law Clinic

LADC is an independent, nonprofit organization located in Dakota County. They provide free legal advice, brief legal services, and in some situations, full representation. To register for help from LADC, click HERE.

For a list of clinics offered by other, regional organizations, click on LawHelpMN.org’s clinic finder HERE.

Scott County

Please visit the Scott County Law Library website for available clinics and other legal workshops.

Statewide Clinics

Please visit the Minnesota State Law Library website for additional clinics.

The Second Judicial District serves Ramsey County.

Ramsey County Self-Help Center

Ramsey County

Criminal Defense Services, Inc.

Low-income defendants in Ramsey County who are not eligible for a Public Defender can see if they qualify for legal help by talking with an attorney from CDSI at their arraignment (first hearing) at the Ramsey County District Court.

Family Law Advice by Phone

Low-income people who have a court case in Ramsey County District Court can get a free 20-minute legal advice consult on family law matters from the Volunteer Lawyers Network. To schedule an appointment, please call the VLN Intake Line at (612) 752-6677 from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday.

Criminal Defense Law Clinic

Free legal advice consultations on criminal law issues are available on the first and third Thursdays of each month from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. This clinic is open to residents of any Minnesota county and is held by phone. Please call the Law Library at 651-266-8391 after 10:00 a.m. on the morning of the clinic to schedule an appointment.

Criminal Expungement Clinic

A free clinic that describes the criminal expungement process and provides help completing the forms for anyone filing an expungement for a criminal case in Ramsey County. The clinic is on the fourth Thursday of each month (except holidays) at 1:00 p.m. in the Ramsey County Law Library on the 18th floor of the Ramsey County courthouse.

Domestic Abuse & Harassment Office (Ramsey County)

Victims can access resources and get help with the process of getting a court Order for Protection.

Family Court Self-Help Service Center

The Self-Help Service Center offers a free legal clinic every Monday and Wednesday from noon to 2:00 p.m. This clinic is open to Ramsey County residents or customers who have a case in Ramsey county. Volunteer attorneys will provide brief legal advice by phone. Volunteer attorneys will not represent you in court or fill out forms for you. Please call (651) 266-5125 to schedule an appointment.

Housing & Conciliation Court Self-Help Center (brochure)

Free legal advice consultations on housing and conciliation court issues are available on Tuesdays from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. This clinic is open to Ramsey County residents or customers who have a case in Ramsey county. This clinic is held by phone. Please call the Law Library at 651-266-8391 after 10:00 a.m. on the morning of the clinic to schedule an appointment.

The Third Judicial District serves the counties of Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha, Waseca, and Winona.

Dodge County

Legal Assistance of Olmsted County offers a free legal advice clinic on family law topics for Dodge County residents. This clinic is available to individuals of all income levels. Clinics are offered once a month and have limited availability, so pre-registration is encouraged. Drop-ins are seen on a first-come, first-served basis. To register for the clinic or for more information, contact Karen at karen@laocmn.org or call (507) 287-2036.

Fillmore County

Legal Assistance of Olmsted County offers a free legal advice clinic on family law topics for Fillmore County residents. This clinic is available to individuals of all income levels. Clinics are offered once a month and have limited availability, so pre-registration is encouraged. Drop-ins are seen on a first-come, first-served basis. To register for the clinic or for more information, contact Karen at karen@laocmn.org or call (507) 287-2036.

Olmsted County

The Olmsted County Law Library - Free Legal Clinics Program is offered for people representing themselves in court in Olmsted County. People can meet with a volunteer attorney for a brief consult up to 30 minutes. Topic areas may include family Law, financial cases (debtor/creditor, pre-bankruptcy), and criminal expungement. You must schedule an appointment to meet with the volunteer attorney by calling the Law Library at (507) 218-3778 or by email at staff@olmstedlawlibrary.com.

Legal Assistance of Olmsted County (LAOC) provides a free legal advice clinic on landlord-tenant issues for low-income individuals. The clinic is held every Friday from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at LAOC's offices, located at 1700 N. Broadway, Suite 124, Rochester, MN. You can attend the clinic as a walk-in or you can pre-register.

LAOC also offers periodic bankruptcy clinics. In order to attend a bankruptcy clinic, you must first complete an application to determine your eligibility.

The Fourth Judicial District serves Hennepin County.

Hennepin County

See Hennepin Legal Advice Clinics for a listing of various legal advice clinics offered at Hennepin County courthouse locations.

See the Volunteer Lawyers Network for a listing of legal advice clinics offered at various locations in the community.

Domestic Abuse Service Center (Hennepin County)

Victims can access resources and get help with the process of getting a court Order for Protection.

Family Law Advice by Phone

Low-income people who have a court case in Hennepin County can get a free 20-minute legal advice consult on family law matters from the Volunteer Lawyers Network. To schedule an appointment, please call the VLN Intake Line at (612) 752-6677 from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday.

The Fifth Judicial District serves the counties of Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock, and Watonwan.

Self-Help Workshops

Services provided by the attorney at the self-help workshops include reviewing documents; advising on the content of the documents; on legal issues and procedures; on the next steps; answering questions and providing explanation as needed.

Dates:

First and Third Wednesday of each month (subject to change)

Time:

1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Each appointment time is 45 minutes in length. Only three appointment times available per session.

Locations:

Workshops are done by Zoom Video Conferencing and available to all in the Fifth Judicial District.

Fee:

There is a $40 fee (includes credit card charges) per person attending the workshop.

Contact:

Ruth Harms at Ruth.Harms@courts.state.mn.us or (507) 594-3044

Fifth Judicial District Administration Office

The Seventh Judicial District serves the counties of Becker, Benton, Clay, Douglas, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Otter Tail, Stearns, Todd, and Wadena.

Becker County

In partnership with the Becker County Law Library, Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota (LSNM) hosts a Self-Help Clinic on Thursdays from 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Help is available on a first come, first served basis. There are no asset or income eligibility requirements, and no appointments are necessary. The law library is in the basement of the Becker County courthouse in Detroit Lakes. For the most up-to-date information on this clinic, call LSNM at (800) 450-8585 or visit their website.

Clay County

In partnership with the Clay County Law Library, Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota (LSNM) hosts a Self-Help Clinic on 1^st and 3^rd Tuesdays of the month from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. AND every Thursday from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Help is available on a first come, first served basis. There are no asset or income eligibility requirements, and no appointments are necessary. The law library is in the basement of the Clay County courthouse in Moorhead. For the most up-to-date information on this clinic, call LSNM at (800) 450-8585 or visit their website.

Mille Lacs County

The Mille Lacs County Law Library, located in the Mille Lacs County Courthouse, provides a Self-Help Program that offers general legal advice and help with completing court forms. The attorney is available on Mondays from 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. and Wednesdays from 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Otter Tail County

In partnership with the Otter Tail County Law Library, Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota (LSNM) hosts a Self-Help clinic on Wednesdays from 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Help is available on a first come, first served basis. There are no asset or income eligibility requirements, and no appointments are necessary. The law library is on the third floor of the Otter Tail County courthouse in Fergus Falls. For the most up-to-date information on this clinic, call LSNM at (800) 450-8585 or visit their website.

Stearns County

Central Minnesota Legal Services offers a free legal advice clinic the first four Thursdays of each month for low-income families and individuals.

Please note that certain topics will only be covered on specific weeks based on attorney availability.

At this time, the clinics are held remotely. Pre-registration is required. Please call the clinic coordinator at (320) 403-1051 for scheduling and availability.

Todd County Legal Advice Clinic

Central Minnesota Legal Services offers a free legal advice clinic on civil legal issues for eligible clients on the 4th Monday of the month. The clinic is held from 11:15 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. at the Staples Public Library and 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Long Prairie Library. Pre-registration is required. For questions, or to register, please contact CMLS at (320) 257-4855 or 1-800-622-7773.

The Eighth Judicial District serves the counties of Big Stone, Chippewa, Grant, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Meeker, Pope, Renville, Stevens, Swift, Traverse, Wilkin, and Yellow Medicine.

Central Minnesota Legal Services offers a free legal advice clinic for low-income families and individuals in Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Renville, and Yellow Medicine Counties on the 3^rd Thursday of each month from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Areas of law include Family, Consumer and Debt, Landlord and Tenant Action, Employment, Expungement, and Public Benefits. Pre-registration and financial screening is required. Please call the clinic coordinator at (320) 253-0138 for scheduling and availability.

Kandiyohi County

Central Minnesota Legal Services offers a free legal advice clinic on the 2^nd and 4^th Friday of each month for low-income families and individuals. Please note that certain topics will only be covered on specific weeks based on attorney availability. At this time, the clinics are held remotely. Pre-registration is required. Please call the clinic coordinator at (320) 403-1051 for scheduling and availability.

Kandiyohi County Law Library provides a legal advice clinic located in the basement of the County Courthouse. This clinic is held every Thursday from Noon - 4 p.m. Please call 320-403-1051 to make an appointment.

Participants with a civil legal issue that would like to schedule an appointment, should contact Marcia Day with Central Minnesota Legal Services to schedule an appointment.

Marcia can be reached at: mday@centralmnlegal.org or (320)403-1051.

Funded by the Kandiyohi County Law Library

The Ninth Judicial District serves the counties of Aitkin, Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Itasca, Kittson, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, and Roseau.

Beltrami County

A Self-Help Clinic is available on the third Wednesday of each month from 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. to provide free help in completing court forms at the Beltrami County Judicial Center, 600 Minnesota Ave NW #108, Bemidji, MN 56601. This clinic is hosted by Legal Services of Northwestern Minnesota, which can be reached by calling 1-800-450-8585.

A Virtual Legal Advice Clinic is available on the third Tuesday of each month. Call 1-800-450-8585 for more information.

Polk County

A Self-Help Clinic is available on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Polk County Justice Center, Courthouse Law Library, 2nd Floor, 816 Marin Avenue, Crookston, Minnesota. Please note: this clinic is NOT operated by Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota.

The Tenth Judicial District serves the counties of Anoka, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Pine, Sherburne, Washington, and Wright.

Family Law Advice by Phone

The Volunteer Lawyers Network offers a free 20-minute legal advice telephone consult on family law matters for individuals whose income is at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. To schedule an appointment, please call the VLN Intake Line (612) 752-6677 at 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday.

Anoka County

The Anoka County Law Library and Central Minnesota Legal Services provide the following legal advice clinics:

Family Law Clinic: Two Thursdays each month, people can meet with an attorney on divorce, custody, child support, Orders for Protection, and other family law matters. Please call (763) 324-5560 for an appointment. The law library is on the 1st floor of the Anoka County Courthouse. View the clinic schedule at the Anoka County Law Library website.

Criminal Expungement Clinic: Central Minnesota Legal Services offers a monthly expungement clinic at the Mississippi Library in Fridley. No pre-registration required. View the clinic schedule at the Anoka County Law Library website. Call (763) 324-5560 for more information.

Chisago County

Central Minnesota Legal Services offers a free legal advice clinic for low-income families and individuals. Please note that certain topics will only be covered on specific weeks based on attorney availability. At this time, the clinics are held remotely. Pre-registration is required. Please call the clinic coordinator at 320-257-4853 for scheduling and availability.

Isanti County

Kanabec County

Justice North - Private Attorney Involvement Program (PAI)

Family Law: PAI offers a Family Law Clinic the first and third Wednesday of each month from 12:00pm-3:00pm The clinic is virtual (by phone or Zoom). For assistance, please call (800) 933-1112.

Bankruptcy: PAI offers a Bankruptcy Clinic the fourth Wednesday of each month from 12:00pm-3:00pm. The clinic is virtual (by phone or Zoom). For assistance, please call (800) 933-1112.

Social Security: PAI offers a Social Security Clinic once a month. The clinic is virtual (by phone or Zoom). For assistance, please call (800) 933-1112.

Pine County

Justice North - Private Attorney Involvement Program (PAI)

Family Law: PAI offers a Family Law Clinic the first and third Wednesday of each month from 12:00pm-3:00pm  The clinic is virtual (by phone or Zoom). For assistance, please call (800) 933-1112.

Bankruptcy: PAI offers a Bankruptcy Clinic the fourth Wednesday of each month from 12:00pm-3:00pm.  The clinic is virtual (by phone or Zoom). For assistance, please call (800) 933-1112.

Social Security: PAI offers a Social Security Clinic once a month.  The clinic is virtual (by phone or Zoom). For assistance, please call (800) 933-1112.

Sherburne County

Washington County

Washington County Criminal Defense Panel Program

People charged with a misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor or felony in Washington County may get some brief legal help from a private attorney in this program free of charge. Call (651) 748-9373 for details.

Washington County Legal Advice Clinic

Washington County Law Library provides three different legal clinics to the public: Family, Civil and Criminal. Each attendee will have a free 30 minute consultation with a volunteer attorney from the Washington County Bar Association.

To be eligible for this clinic, you must live in or have a court case in Washington County. Please call (651) 430-6330 for an appointment. You may also email lawlibrary@co.washington.mn.us questions about the advice clinic or law library services.

Family Law: Marriage dissolution, child support, domestic abuse, paternity issues, child custody, visitation, spousal maintenance, name change. This clinic is held every first and third Tuesday of the month from 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Please check the public library calendar for more details or call 651-430-6330 for more information. Appointment required. Fill out the clinic intake form.

Civil Law: Default judgment, housing/eviction, eviction expungement, creditor/debtor, judgment collection, consumer issues, conciliation court, automobile title transfer. This clinic is held every second and fourth Monday of the month from 1:00 - 3:30 p.m. Please check the public library calendar for more details or call 651-430-6330 for more information. Appointment required. Fill out the clinic intake form.

Criminal Law: Traffic tickets, criminal process, criminal expungement, DANCO orders. This clinic is held every Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Appointment required. Fill out the clinic intake form. Please check the public library calendar for more details or call 651-430-6330 for more information.

Wright County

Court of Appeals Clinics

If you are working on filing an appeal to the Minnesota Court of Appeals, you may be able to get help over the phone at the Appeals Self-Help Clinic through the Minnesota State Law Library. Download the flyer to learn more about the hours and process of the clinic. If you are appealing a denial of unemployment benefits to the Court of Appeals, the State Law Library also hosts an Unemployment Appeal Legal Advice Clinic that you can attend by telephone. Download the flyer to learn more about the hours and process of the clinic.

If you want to attend the Appeals Self-Help Clinic or the Unemployment Appeal Legal Clinic, you must request an appointment through the links above, by calling (651) 297-7651, or by emailing askalibrarian@courts.state.mn.us.

Probate Brief Advice Telephone Clinic

The MN State Law Library hosts a Probate Clinic for brief advice about the probate process in Minnesota. There is no income limit and advice is available to customers statewide by telephone.

If you want to attend the Probate Brief Advice Telephone Clinic you must make an appointment on the MN State Law Library website.

Mitchell Hamline School of Law Clinic

Free clinics are available on family law, criminal expungement, and eviction expungement issues through the Mitchell Hamline School of Law Self-Help Center. Appointments are preferred for family law and criminal expungement assistance, and appointments are required for eviction expungement assistance. Both in-person and remote appointments are offered. See the Mitchell Hamline Self-Help Clinic website for specific dates and times of the clinics. Appointments can be made online using the Appointment Scheduling Form or by emailing selfhelp.clinic@mitchellhamline.edu.

Volunteer Lawyers Network

Volunteer Lawyers Network provides free legal services to qualifying low-income clients in Minnesota for many types of issues, including bankruptcy, criminal records expungement, conciliation court/small claims court lawsuits, debtor-creditor issues, employment law, family law issues, housing issues, immigration issues, and some other issues. Please call (612) 752-6677 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays if you would like to request free legal help or go to www.vlnmn.org for more information.

Self-Help Centers