The links below are provided by the King County Bar Association for general informational use only. The information does not constitute legal advice, and it is not intended or designed to advise the reader on any particular course of action. The reader is advised to consult an attorney for legal advice regarding the specific facts and circumstances of his or her case. To hire an attorney, contact the KCBA Lawyer Referral Service. For a free consultation with a volunteer attorney contact Neighborhood Legal Clinics.
Self-Help Resources
Washington Law Help
http://www.washingtonlawhelp.org
General guide to free civil legal services for low-income persons and seniors in Washington
LawForWA
http://www.lawforwa.org
Website intended to provide easy access to information on Washington law, courts, and government.
King County Law Library
http://www.kcll.org
Includes links to legal information, research guides, and court forms.
Crisis Clinic and Community Resources Online
http://www.crisisclinic.org
As a non-profit organization, they offer an array of support services available to everyone in King County, WA. The telephone services provide immediate, confidential assistance for people in emotional distress and in need of help.
Legal Resources and Referrals
Consumer
Washington Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division
http://www.atg.wa.gov/consumer/
Information and publications about the most common consumer protection questions.
Center for Consumer Law
http://www.consumerrights.net
`Information on legal rights of consumers, including an introduction to the legal system, advice on choosing a lawyer, and information about responding to defective products. Sponsored by the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association.
Buying a Used Car
http://www.atg.wa.gov/consumer/cars/buyused.shtml
Information about purchasing used cars. Sponsored by the Washington Attorney General.
Identity Theft
http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/
How to prevent and respond to identity theft. Sponsored by the Federal Trade Commission.
Credit & Debt
American Consumer Credit Counseling
http://www.consumercredit.com
A non-profit organization that assists individuals with financial education and debt management strategies.
CENTS
http://www.centsprogram.com/
A non-profit organization that is dedicated to providing free legal advice and money management to individuals and families throughout the State of Washington. Program provides Personal Financial Management classes required by the new bankruptcy laws. The website outlines the range of their programs, projects and resources.
Bankruptcy
http://www.wsba.org/media/publications/pamphlets/bankruptcy.htm
General information about bankruptcy. Sponsored by the Washington State Bar Association.
U.S. Bankruptcy Court of Western District of Washington
http://www.wawb.uscourts.gov
Bankruptcy courts website, includes court location, court rules, fee & forms, approved credit counseling & financial management agencies, assistance to the public & more.
Fair Debt Collection Practices
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/fdc.htm
Frequently-Asked Questions about the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act. Sponsored by the Federal Trade Commission.
Criminal Law
Office of the Public Defender, King County
http://www.kingcounty.gov/courts/OPD.aspx
Our purpose is to provide legal services to those persons who have been accused of a crime or are involved in civil proceedings in a King County court and cannot afford an attorney. Contact for eligibility screening.
Criminal Law Summary
http://www.wsba.org/media/publications/pamphlets/criminal.htm
Pamphlet giving general information on the criminal justice system. Includes rights of persons accused with crimes. Sponsored by Washington State Bar Association.
Crime Victims
http://www.lni.wa.gov/ClaimsInsurance/CrimeVictims/
Washington state's program for providing financial assistance for crime victims. Includes downloadable forms. Sponsored by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries.
Vacating/Sealing Criminal Records
http://www.courts.wa.gov/forms/?fa=forms.contribute&formID=38
Discrimination
King County Office for Civil Rights
http://www.metrokc.gov/dias/ocre
King County's anti-discrimination office.
Seattle Office for Civil Rights
http://www.cityofseattle.net/civilrights/
City of Seattle's anti-discrimination office.
Also see Labor & Employment section, below
Family Law: General
Washington Law Help
http://www.washingtonlawhelp.org
Contains self help materials on family law
Northwest Women’s Law Center
http://www.nwwlc.org/main/content/services/publications_family.shtml
General information on family law, dissolution, child support, dependency, and more.
Child Support Resource Center
http://www1.dshs.wa.gov/dcs/index.shtml
Washington state agency responsible for the collection and distribution of child support. Brochures available in many languages; information is available on the child support program, hearing rights, modifications, paternity, interstate child support, options for victims of domestic violence, employer guidelines, child support and foster care, direct deposit, and automatic support payments.
Washington Courts Family Law Mandatory Forms
http://www.courts.wa.gov/forms/
Documents, forms, and instructions needed to begin family court procedures. The forms can be downloaded and printed.
Family Law Section
http://www.abanet.org/family/home.html
Home page of the Family Law Section of the American Bar Association. Includes links to family law magazines and publications, reports, committees. Highlights recent changes in the area of family law.
Family Law: Dissolution
Dissolution in Washington
http://www.wsba.org/media/publications/pamphlets/dissolution.htm
Brochure summarizing information about dissolutions in Washington. Sponsored by the Washington State Bar Association.
Divorce Law Information Center
http://www.divorcelawinfo.com/states/wash/washington.htm
Provides general information on Washington divorce law. Includes court forms and a child support calculator. Sponsored by various divorce law firms.
DivorceNet
http://www.divorcenet.com/wa/wa.html
General information about divorce in Washington state. Sponsored by various divorce law firms.
Family Law: Domestic Violence
Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
http://www.wecadv.org
Resources for DV survivors in Washington State.
Seattle-King County Domestic Violence Protection Orders
http://www.protectionorder.org
Information and forms for obtaining a protection order in King County.
Washington Violence Against Women Network
http://www.wavawnet.org
Assistance for victims of domestic and sexual assault and those who provide services for them. Includes self-help ideas, training and related information.
King County Coalition Against Domestic Violence
http://www.kccadv.org/
Resources for DV survivors in King County.
National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect
http://nccanch.acf.hhs.gov/
A national resource with information on the prevention, identification, and treatment of child abuse and neglect. Sponsored by the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Labor & Employment
Washington Law Help
http://www.washingtonlawhelp.org
Contains self help materials on employment law.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
General information: http://www.eeoc.gov/
Publications listed at: http://www.eeoc.gov/publications.html
Federal government agency for employment discrimination.
Workers Compensation Information
http://www.calbomschwab.com/services/WCLI.asp
Information about Washington's workers compensation system. Sponsored by the Calbom & Schwab law firm (Eastern Washington).
Primary Materials in Labor & Employment Law
http://www.findlaw.com/01topics/27labor/gov_laws.html
Links to statutes, regulations, and government publications in the area of labor and employment law. Sponsored by FindLaw.com.
Employment Discrimination Information
http://www.discriminationattorney.com
Summaries of many topics in employment and discrimination law. Sponsored by the Greenberg law firm (Los Angeles).
National Employment Lawyers Association
http://www.nela.org/home.cfm
An organization of lawyers representing individual employees in cases involving employment discrimination, wrongful termination, employee benefits, and other employment related matters.
Landlord/Tenant
Housing Justice Project
http://www.kcba.org/legalhelp/HJP/clients.aspx
Provides eviction defense and negotiation for low-income King County residential tenants & advice for all King County residential tenants.
Washington Law Help
http://www.washingtonlawhelp.org
Contains self help materials on landlord/tenant law.
Landlord/Tenant Law
http://www.atg.wa.gov/consumer/lt/
Summary of Landlord/Tenant Law in Washington. Sponsored by Washington Attorney General.
Washington State Tenants Union
http://www.tenantsunion.org/
Nonprofit organization providing information and advocacy for residential tenants.
Legal Ethics
LegalEthics.com
http://www.legalethics.com/index.law
General ethics resources covering many states.
ETHICSearch
http://www.abanet.org/cpr/ethicsearch/home.html
Sponsored by ABA Center for Professional Responsibility (restricted to lawyers and other legal professionals).
Native Americans
Native American Rights Fund
http://www.narf.org
National Indian Law Library
http://www.narf.org/nill/rlinks.htm
Non-profit legal organization devoted to defending and promoting the legal rights of Native Americans.
National Tribal Justice Resource Center
http://www.tribalresourcecenter.org/
Guide to tribal justice systems. Sponsored by the National American Indian Court Judges Association.
Poverty & Public Benefits
Washington Law Help
http://www.washingtonlawhelp.org
Contains self help materials on poverty/public benefits law.
Fremont Public Association
http://www.fremontpublic.org/
Provides assistance to those in need, including assistance and advocacy for obtaining shelter, food, transportation, and communication. Offers special assistance for the elderly and disabled.
Unemployment Law Project
http://www.unemploymentlawproject.org
Seattle-based organization dedicated to helping people obtain unemployment insurance benefits.
Washington Parent Power
http://www.washingtonparentpower.org
Description of economic supports available to families, including health care, child care, food assistance and scholarships.
Welfare Rights Organizing Coalition
http://www.wroc.org/resources.htm
Information on the rights of people who receive of public assistance (welfare, food stamps, WorkFirst, etc.).
Senior Citizens
Senior Services of Seattle/King County
http://seniorservices.org
The largest non-profit agency serving older people in Washington. Services include: Meals-on-Wheels, Volunteer Transportation, Homesharing, Minor Home Repair, African American Outreach, Senior Information and Assistance, Senior Rights Assistance as well as neighborhood senior centers and adult day health programs.
Administration on Aging
http://aoa.gov
Federal agency for older persons.
Washington (State) Probate
http://www.wa-probate.com
Free Washington State Probate forms & instructions to "Do It Yourself".
Youth
Street Youth Legal Advocates of Washington
http://www.sylaw.org
Provides assistance and referrals to street youth that face a variety of legal problems, including family issues, educational problems, mental health issues, and difficulty accessing state and federal entitlements such as housing and financial assistance.
Team Child
http://www.teamchild.org
TeamChild provides civil legal services for juveniles involved in the criminal justice system.
ACLU - Know Your Rights: A Guide for Public School Students in Washington
http://www.aclu-wa.org/library_files/Guide%20for%20Public%20School%20Students.pdf
ACLU/Parents' Guide to Public School Discipline in Washington
http://www.aclu-wa.org/library_files/Discipline_guide_parents_3_07.pdf
ACLU – Parents’ Guide to Truancy in Washington
http://www.aclu-wa.org/library_files/Truancy_guide_parents_5_07.pdf
ACLU – Parents’ Guide to School Board Advocacy in Washington
http://www.aclu-wa.org/library_files/Advocacy_guide_parents_3_07.pdf
Children's Defense Fund
http://www.childrensdefense.org
Lobbying and information regarding rights of minors. CDF pays particular attention to the needs of poor and minority children and those disabilities.