If You Need Legal Help
Ways to get legal help and information:
The Legal Resource Finder. The Legal Resource Finder (LRF) will help you find out whether there is a legal aid program that might be able to help you with your legal problem. It will also give you links to information that will help you to learn more about your legal issue. The LRF only includes information about civil issues, not criminal issues. Click here for the Legal Resource Finder.
You can get legal information at MassLegalHelp, Massachusetts Trial Court Law Libraries, and MassLegalServices.
The Committee for Public Counsel Services provides public defenders for low-income people in criminal cases and in certain other types of cases. Click here for more information.
If you want to hire a lawyer for a criminal, personal injury, worker's compensation or other type of case, see this list of lawyer referral services.
Other kinds of help:
Domestic Violence
- Call SafeLink at 1-877-785-2020. Callers to SafeLink receive confidential "help at the end of the line" 24 hours a day, every day of the year. SafeLink's specially trained advocates provide support in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and have access to TTY (877-521-2601) and translation services through on-call specialists at the ATT Language Line. That resource can provide simultaneous interpretation in over 140 languages, giving SafeLink the capacity to respond to most callers in their native language. See the
For Seniors
- Elder Abuse Hotline, 1-800-922-2275 (V/TDD). Click here for more information.
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Massachusetts Senior Legal Help Line, 1-866-778-0939. The Helpline provides FREE legal information, advice and referral services for Massachusetts senior citizens (60 years or older) in most areas of civil law. Click here for more information.
- 800AgeInfo, 1-800-243-4636. Find out about services for Massachusetts elders and their families. Click here for more information.
Child Abuse or Neglect
- Child-At-Risk Hotline, 1-800-792-5200. Click here for more information.
Abuse or Neglect of Persons with Disabilities
- Disabled Persons Protection Commission, 800-426-9009 or 888-822-0350 TTY. Click here for more information.
Disaster Assistance
- Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), call 2-1-1 for non-emergency help. Click here for more information.