Are you searching for a Lawyer Everett to help navigate a challenging legal situation? Snohomish County Legal Services (SCLS) has been a pillar of the Everett and Snohomish County community since 1983, dedicated to ensuring equal justice for all. If you are facing poverty and need legal guidance, SCLS offers quality legal services to help you through your crisis.
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SCLS operates with a clear mission: to guide individuals in poverty out of crisis by delivering exceptional legal services. Their vision is to create a world where justice is accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial situation. This commitment is fulfilled through a comprehensive service model that utilizes:
- Staff Attorneys: Providing immediate assistance for emergencies and handling complex legal cases.
- Volunteer Attorneys and Paralegals: Offering advice and legal representation to those in need.
- Clinics and Workshops: Empowering clients with the knowledge and tools for self-advocacy and self-sufficiency.
Originally established in the early 1980s as an initiative of the Snohomish County Bar Association, SCLS became an independent nonprofit organization in 1985. As a 501(c)(3) organization, contributions to SCLS are tax-deductible, making it possible for the community to support access to justice. Their Federal EIN is 91-1215739.
Comprehensive Legal Services in Everett and Snohomish County
Snohomish County Legal Services provides a range of free civil legal aid services to low-income residents of Snohomish County. Eligibility for these services is not based on citizenship or immigration status. SCLS focuses primarily on crucial areas of civil law including:
- Family Law: Addressing sensitive family legal issues with compassion and expertise.
- Chapter 7 Bankruptcy: Helping individuals navigate financial hardship and regain stability.
- Housing Justice Project: Protecting tenants’ rights and preventing homelessness through eviction defense and housing advocacy.
- Wills for Seniors: Providing essential estate planning services to senior residents.
SCLS’s dedicated staff and volunteer lawyers Everett and paralegals are committed to ensuring that residents understand their legal rights. They achieve this through informative clinics, presentations, and various service delivery models, including:
- Full Legal Representation: Providing comprehensive legal support throughout a case.
- Direct Representation: Representing clients in specific legal proceedings.
- Unbundled Legal Services: Offering assistance with specific parts of a legal case.
- Advice and Counsel: Providing legal guidance and support to empower individuals to advocate for themselves.
To ensure accessibility, SCLS offers interpreter services at no cost for clients with limited English proficiency. Prospective clients are required to complete an Intake Form to determine eligibility for services.
FAMILY LAW SERVICES
CHAPTER 7 BANKRUPTCY
HOUSING JUSTICE PROJECT
APPOINTED COUNSEL PROGRAM
HOME EVICTION SERVICES
WILLS FOR SENIORS SERVICES
Addressing the Critical Need for Legal Aid in Snohomish County
The demand for civil legal assistance among low-income populations in Snohomish County is significant. As Washington’s third-most populous and fastest-growing county, Snohomish is home to over 800,000 residents. Alarmingly, at least 100,000 of these residents live in households with incomes below 125% of the Federal Poverty level, highlighting the urgent need for accessible legal services.
Consider these compelling statistics that underscore the challenges faced by low-income households in Washington State:
70%
More than 70% of low-income households in Washington State experience at least one civil legal problem every year, with an average of 9.3 legal issues per household annually.
20
For low-income victims of domestic or sexual violence, the situation is even more critical, with an average of almost 20 civil legal problems each year.
24%
Disturbingly, only 24% of individuals living in poverty and facing civil legal issues are able to access the legal help they desperately need. The most prevalent legal challenges revolve around essential aspects of life such as health care, consumer finance, housing, and employment.
Without adequate legal assistance, many residents struggle to overcome life-altering legal hurdles, especially when these issues are interconnected and compound the difficulties:
- Supporting victims of domestic and sexual violence.
- Preventing evictions and addressing critical housing issues.
- Navigating the complexities of divorce and child custody disputes.
- Resolving consumer credit and debt problems.
- Seeking relief through bankruptcy.
- Coping with job loss and employment-related legal matters.
Snohomish County Legal Services actively promotes social justice by establishing and managing client-centered, volunteer-based civil legal services programs. SCLS ensures that services are provided equitably and without discrimination to low-income Snohomish County residents who would otherwise be unable to afford legal assistance.
SCLS embraces diversity by intentionally including individuals from groups that have historically faced discrimination and continue to experience its effects, or who are underrepresented in the legal profession. This includes individuals based on disability, gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. SCLS is a proud member of the Alliance for Equal Justice, working collaboratively to extend civil legal aid to individuals and communities facing poverty and injustice.
The lack of access to meaningful legal services can worsen unemployment, homelessness, and family instability, placing additional strain on social services and perpetuating cycles of poverty. By providing civil legal aid, SCLS plays a vital role in breaking these cycles and building a more just community.
The Foundational Importance of Civil Legal Aid
The principle of “Equal justice under the law” is deeply rooted in American values, enshrined in the 14th Amendment and even inscribed on the U.S. Supreme Court building. While many associate equal justice with the 6th Amendment and the right to an attorney in criminal cases, the reality is that this right is limited to criminal accusations.
The 6th Amendment guarantees, “You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you.” However, this protection does not extend to civil legal matters. If you are facing a non-criminal legal issue and cannot afford legal representation, Snohomish County Legal Services is here to help with your civil legal needs. To seek assistance from a lawyer Everett through SCLS, please complete and submit a request via their website.
Stay Informed: Upcoming Events and Clinics
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Become a Champion for Justice: Support SCLS
Volunteer Your Time and Expertise
VOLUNTEER INFORMATION
Donate to Support Equal Justice
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Contact Snohomish County Legal Services Today
For those in need of a lawyer Everett and residing in Snohomish County, reach out to Snohomish County Legal Services.
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