Virginia Free Legal Answers

Mission:
Virginia Free Legal Answers is an online legal advice platform administered by the American Bar Association and the Virginia State Bar. The service is designed to provide brief, limited-scope legal advice to eligible individuals who cannot afford to hire an attorney.

Services Provided:

• Online Legal Advice: Eligible users can submit civil legal questions online and receive brief advice from volunteer, licensed Virginia attorneys.
• Areas of Law: Users select a category (such as housing, debt, family law, etc.) for their question. Criminal law matters are not handled.
• Resource Referrals: If a question is not answered within 30 days, users receive a list of additional legal resources and are encouraged to seek help elsewhere.
• Self-Help Resources: The platform provides links to other free and low-cost legal information resources, including VALegalAid.org, the Virginia Judicial System Self-Help Website, and VA Law Help 2 Go.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Household income must be less than 250% of the federal poverty level.
• Liquid assets (including checking, savings, stocks, and bonds) must not exceed $10,000.
• Users may not be incarcerated.
• Only civil legal matters are accepted (no criminal law questions).
• Users must provide their name, county, and zip code.
• Users may post up to 5 legal questions per year on up to 3 different topics, with unlimited follow-up on each question as needed.

Service Area:

• Virginia Free Legal Answers is available to residents of all Virginia counties, including Louisa County and surrounding regions.

How It Works:

• Eligible users create an account, agree to the terms of use, and submit their legal question online.
• Volunteer attorneys review and answer questions, providing brief legal advice without expectation of ongoing representation.
• The platform is modeled after walk-in legal clinics and dial-a-lawyer programs, offering convenient access to legal help for those unable to attend in-person clinics.

Additional Information:

• The service is confidential and users' identities are protected, with only name and county shared with the attorney.
• The attorney-client relationship is limited in scope and duration to the specific question answered.
• The platform also provides links to other legal aid organizations and referral services for more extensive legal needs.