Legal Information Websites
- LawHelpNC
- A wealth of information on specific legal topics, including housing, government benefits, veterans, employment issues, education, farmworkers, criminal law, taxes, and more. Also offers various North Carolina legal forms.
- NC Free Legal Answers
- This website exists to help people with their civil matters (not criminal matters). Users who meet certain criteria ask a question through the site, and a volunteer attorney responds with an answer.
- NC Free Legal Help
- Another attorney network that answers questions at no charge.
- NC Bar Association
- This page links to a number of resources on disability rights, children’s advocacy, pro bono programs, and more.
- Divorcenet
- Excellent source of information on divorce, child support (guidelines and worksheets are here), property distribution, and alimony. Links to divorce laws of all 50 states.
- Wake County Legal Support Center
- Resource hub for self-represented litigants. Offers online forms and step-by-step guidance in filing some actions.
Legal Aid of North Carolina Clinics
These clinics are offered by Legal Aid of North Carolina. They are free to attend, but you will need to register in advance.
- Child Custody and Visitation
- Criminal Record Expunction
- Divorce
- Employment
- Health Care Access
- Tenant Rights
Law School Clinics
Several North Carolina law schools offer limited free or low-cost legal assistance to the public. Work is performed by law students under the supervision of faculty members.
- Campbell Legal Clinics
- Offers several clinics, including business law, bankruptcy, family law and restorative justice.
- Elon University
- Offers the Humanitarian Immigration Law Clinic.
- Duke Legal Clinics
- Offers several clinics, including children’s law, environmental law, HIV/AIDS, and wrongful convictions.
- NC Central Legal Clinics
- Offers several clinics, including family law, low income taxpayer, juvenile law and criminal defense.
- Wake Forest Legal Clinics
- Offerings include appellate advocacy, community law and business, and veterans law.
Lawyer Referrals
These services will connect you to an attorney who specializes in the type of assistance you need. The service costs $50 for a 30-minute consultation. You may hire the attorney after the consultation, often at a discount rate.
- NC Lawyer Referral Service
- Statewide network. Contact by phone (800-662-7660) or online.
- Mecklenburg County Bar Lawyer Referral Service
- Focuses on the Charlotte area.
Free or Low-Cost Legal Help
These organizations offer free or low-cost legal representation to low-income clients in certain matters, usually non-criminal ones.
- Legal Aid of North Carolina
- Pisgah Legal Services
- Provides legal help in Buncombe, Madison, Transylvania, Henderson, Polk, Rutherford and Yancey Counties.
- Justice Matters
- Focuses on immigration, human trafficking victims, family law, and other civil matters. Located in Durham.
- Disability Rights NC
- Fights for the rights of people with disabilities in North Carolina.
- North Carolina Prisoner Legal Services
- Provides North Carolina inmates with “meaningful access to the courts.”
- North Carolina Equal Justice Alliance
- A community of civil legal aid providers serving low-income and underrepresented constituencies.
- North Carolina Justice Center
- Provides legal assistance for immigrants in certain civil and immigration matters.
- Central Carolina Justice Center
- Volunteer attorneys answer questions and offer guidance in criminal, divorce, immigration, landlord/tenant, and other matters. Cost of consultation is $30.
- Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy
- Provides pro bono legal assistance in Mecklenburg County and the surrounding areas.
Public Law Libraries
These are free law libraries open to the public. These libraries provide limited legal research assistance.
- Katherine R. Everett Law Library (UNC Chapel Hill)
- North Carolina Central Law Library
- J. Michael Goodson Law Library (Duke University)
- Buncombe County Law Library
- Elon Law Library
- Public hours are 9am-5pm, Monday-Friday.
- Law Library of Congress
- The largest law library in the United States. Public help is available by phone (202-707-5079) or online form.