1. Judge Patricia Koch
9th Judicial District Court – Division E
Joanna Laidler
Louisiana State Bar Association
Access to Justice Department

2. POVERTY IN LOUISIANA Population: 4,659,978 (US Census, 2018)
Louisiana Poverty Rate: 19.7% (50th) (US Census, 2018)(918,000 people living in poverty)
Louisiana Poverty Rate for children: 27.8% (51St)(Talk Poverty, 2017)
United Way’s 2018 ALICE Report
29% of LA households (on top of 19.7% poverty rate)
Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed
Cannot afford basic expenses, e.g. housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, cell phone access, and taxes
Louisiana has the second highest poverty rate in the country, at nearly 20%.
The “federal poverty rate” is a very low threshold. The 2019 Federal Poverty Guidelines  rate was $12,490/year for a household of 1, and $25,750/year for a household of 4. Many government services are not available to families that make even a little more than this federally determined rate.
Poverty rate for New Orleans is 18.6% (Louisiana Budget Project, 2018)
38% of Louisiana population < 200% Federal Poverty Level (KKF, 2017)
Louisiana Per Capita Income is $26,205 (US Census, 2018)

3. Unbundled Legal Services
CONTINUUM OF LEGAL SERVICES
SRL
Court Forms
Assisted SRL
PRO BONO
Full Rep
Unbundled Legal Services
It is little wonder then, that many self-represented litigants find the process of representing themselves to be daunting, costly, and unrewarding.

4. FIND LEGAL HELP PORTAL www.lsba.org/goto/FindLegalHelp
New page on LSBA website that provides the spectrum of legal services provided throughout the state.
The LSBA has a ‘Find Legal Help Portal’ at ” at which can be used to find private attorneys, service providers and other local and statewide resources for your patrons. Details of legal aid providers and pro bono organizations are listed on the page.

5. ATTORNEY REFERRALS
Lawyer Referral Contact Information
Baton Rouge area: (225)
Lafayette area: (337)
Lake Charles area: (337)
New Orleans area: (504)
Shreveport area: (318)

6. CIVIL LEGAL AID Louisiana legal services
Two Programs: Acadiana Legal Service Corporation
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services
Cases Handled: Divorce (if domestic violence and/or contested custody), successions/wills/POA, landlord/tenant, SSI, unemployment, Child in Need of Care (CINC), foreclosure prevention, disaster-related issues, housing, and more.
Child support: If ancillary to protection order/DV situation
TRO/Protective Orders: Representation in relation to protective orders, but refer people to Self-Help desks for TROs
Eligibility: LSC - 125%-200% of federal poverty guidelines
Generally, to qualify for free legal aid services, people must be at 125% of poverty guidelines (with certain exceptions). In Louisiana, almost 50% of cases are turned away for administrative reasons (e.g. ineligibility, conflicts, beyond scope of services provided) and a further 20% are provided limited resources that are considered not sufficient to resolve the client’s legal problems (Unmet Legal Needs Report, 2018). There are many people above this threshold yet still cannot afford counsel.
Number of People in Household
 48 States & DC
   One
        $12,490
   Two
        $16,910
   Three
        $21,330
   Four
        $25,750
   Five
        $30,170
   Six
        $34,590
   Seven
        $39,010
   Eight
        $43,430

7. CIVIL LEGAL AID OFFICE LOCATIONS
Acadiana Legal Services (ALSC)– Central Louisiana:
Alexandria (318)
Lafayette (337)
Lake Charles 337)
Legal Aid of North Louisiana (now a part of Acadiana Legal Services)
Monroe (318)
Natchitoches (318)
Shreveport (318)
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services (SLLS):
Baton Rouge (855)
Covington (800)
Hammond (800)
Harvey (800)
Houma (800)
New Orleans (877)

8. PRO BONO SERVICES
Louisiana Pro Bono Services (>110,000 reported hours)
Advice/Unbundled Services/Representation
Pro bono attorneys – attorneys who provide legal services for free – are an important tool in the fight for access to justice. In 2017, US attorneys provided an average of 33.2 hours of pro bono service (LSBA, 2018). In Louisiana, it is estimated that attorneys provide over pro bono hours each year – either through pro bono providers or individually.

9. PRO BONO SERVICES
CONTACT INFORMATION
Baton Rouge Bar Foundation Pro Bono Project – (225)
Central Louisiana Pro Bono Project – (318)
Lafayette Bar Foundation Pro Bono Project – (337)
Shreveport Bar Foundation Pro Bono Project – (318)
SLLS North Shore Pro Bono Project – (985)
Southwest Louisiana Bar Foundation – (337)
The Pro Bono Project – (504)

10. PRO BONO SERVICES CHILD SUPPORT, DV ASSISTANCE
Baton Rouge Bar Foundation Pro Bono Project = provide legal advice clinics, make referrals to SLLS
Central Louisiana Pro Bono Project = Child Support Modifications
Lafayette Bar Foundation Pro Bono Project = TROs, Protective orders & Counsel on Call program
Shreveport Bar Foundation Pro Bono Project = TROs, Protective orders & necessary ancillary orders e.g. child support
SLLS North Shore Pro Bono Project = Same guidelines as SLLS
Southwest Louisiana Bar Foundation = civil, non-fee generating cases
The Pro Bono Project = Child Support Modifications

11. OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS DV - TROs & PROTECTIVE ORDERS
Southwest
Central/ BR area
June Jenkins Women’s Shelter - (337) (DeRidder and Leesville)
Family Justice Center of Central Louisiana (Pineville) - (318)
Family Justice Center of Acadiana (Lafayette) – (337)
IRIS Domestic Violence Center (Ascension, EBR, East Feliciana, Iberville, Point Coupee, West Baton Rouge, West Feliciana) – (225)
Southwest Louisiana Law Center (Sliding Scale) – (337)
Jeff Davis Communities against Domestic Abuse – (337)
Southeast
Chez Hope, Inc. (Assumption, Iberia, St. Martin, St. Mary) –
Orleans/ Jefferson/St Tammany/ Washington
Catholic Charities of New Orleans – Project Save – (504)
The Haven (Houma) – (985)
St Bernard Parish Battered Women’s Program – (504)
Metro Centers for Children’s Advocacy (Jefferson) – (504)
New Orleans Family Justice Center – (504)
North
Northwest Family Justice Center (Caddo, Bossier, Webster, Sabine & Red River) – (318) or 7139
Safe Harbor (St Tammany/Washington) –(985)
D.A.R.T. (Lincoln, Jackson, Union, Bienville, Claiborne) – (318)
Note: Catholic Charities of New Orleans – Project Save can petition Court for interim child support in Petition from Abuse, but usually clients go through state
Similarly, the Southwest Louisiana Law Center can also assist clients in relation to child support matters, but they work on a sliding fee scale.

12. MODEST MEANS DIRECTORY
An online listing of attorneys who charge reduced rates. To use the directory, your income must fall at or below 400% FPL
The Portal also connects patrons to a “modest means” directory of attorneys who provide reduced or flat fee services, or limited services for patrons earning below 400% of the Federal poverty line.

13. FREE LEGAL ANSWERS LA.FreeLegalAnswers.org
Regardless of what parish you are in, patrons can access La.FreeLegalAnswers.org which enables the public to legal questions and receive brief advice in response from volunteer attorneys. Note that this service is only available to people who meet certain eligibility criteria (<250% FPL). You can also direct patrons to LouisianaLawHelp.org, a free online legal information resource.
LA.FreeLegalAnswers.org
Allows users to post civil legal questions to the site
Attorney volunteers log in and choose which question they want to answer

14. Connecting public libraries with volunteer attorneys
“Lawyers in Libraries” is a program where lawyers provide brief free legal advice consultations to public library patrons. There is highlighted by a statewide week of service every October. This will be the 6th year that the program has been in assistance. Last year, LIL

15. SRL SERVICES www.lsba.org/goto/FindLegalHelp/SelfRepresentation.aspx
This map outlines SRL services across the sate. Red stars are parishes where there are live self help centers operating. The red stars indicate that the parish has other SRL resources available. This could be a separate SRL site, forms packets, or other resources.

16. ASSISTED SRL LIVE SELF HELP CENTERS
9th JDC (Rapides) - 2nd Fri each month 12pm-2pm
14th JDC (Calcasieu) – Mon, Wed & 1-4pm
17th JDC (Lafourche) – 2nd & 4th Wed 10am-2pm
19th JDC (EBR):
SHRC-Tues & Thurs 10am-2pm (child support modification)
Domestic Violence Program – 2nd floor (TROs)
22nd JDC (Washington) - 2nd & 4th Mon 9am-12pm
24th JDC (Jefferson) – Tues & Thurs 10am-12pm
29th JDC/ C.A.R.E Center (St. Charles) – Mon, Wed, Thurs 9am-12pm
32nd JDC (Terrebonne) – 1st and 3rd Tues 10am-2pm
41st JDC (Orleans):
SHRC -Mon, Wed & Fri 9am-12pm
DV Coordinator- Mon-Fri 9am-5pm (intimate partner only)

17. FORMS & SRL RESOURCES LSBA SELF HELP SERVICES & LEGAL FORMS
Select Parish
See available services and forms in your parish
Live Self-Help Centers
Self Help Center Websites – parish specific websites designed to assist SRL
Online Resources
Online Forms – E.g. Child Support, Divorce/ Custody, Motion & Order for Continuance
Public Libraries
Court houses – locations & rules
Self-represented litigants can also be directed to the self-help services and legal forms page. Patrons will be required to select their parish in the drop-down menu. Some jurisdictions have live in-person self-help centers, which can provide forms, referrals, and legal information. Many jurisdictions may not have a live self-help center, but they do have local forms for certain issues that are reliable, free of charge, and guaranteed to be accepted if all required conditions of the case are met. For some issues, there are also standardized forms available, which can be downloaded and completed free of charge.

18. ONLINE SELF-HELP CENTERS
The LSBA has also partnered with individual JDCs to launch online self-help centers created and hosted by the Bar, but customized by jurisdiction in partnership with the court.
The websites were designed as an incentive for courts to approve forms for domestic issues (where the majority of SRLs appear).
Contains forms, resources, referral information, and a list of community organizations who can assist with non-legal ancillary issues
Information communicated in plain English and designed for easy web “navigability”

19. FORMS & SRL RESOURCES LAW LIBRARY OF LOUISIANA
Guide for Self Represented Litigants:
Basics of Legal Research
Resources for SRL e.g. books, and online
Online Forms
LSBA LEAP Lib Guides to Louisiana Law
Divorce
Justice of the Peace/Small Claims Courts
The Law Library Guide for SRL offers really good resources in relation into how to undertake legal research, including books and online resources. It can also direct members of the public to online forms prepared by SC and City and Parish Courts.
LEAP is a partnership between the Louisiana State Bar Association, Law Library of Louisiana (at the Supreme Court), Louisiana State University Law Library, and the Louisiana Library Association. Libraries are provided with “Libguides” on frequently requested topics and specialized training for staff on how to respond to the public’s legal questions.

20. FORMS & SRL RESOURCES ONLINE FORMS
Automated Forms e.g. Modification of Child Support & provisional custody by mandate
Louisiana Uniform Abuse Prevention Forms – LPOR & instruction guides, filing steps
Louisiana City and Parish Court Forms – Domestic Abuse Petition for Injunction and TRO, Divorce and Separation
Parish or JDC Specific forms E.g. 9th JDC

21. FORMS & SRL RESOURCES LOUISIANA LAW HELP
Louisiana Law Help was written primarily for self-represented litigants, the website provides brief descriptions of numerous areas of law as well as some forms. Some descriptions are in video, some are written.
Helpful Resources:
Louisianalawhelp.org/issue/family-children/child-support
FAQ about Child Support from Family Law Task Force

22. FORMS & SRL RESOURCES PRO BONO DESK MANUAL
Resource designed to help legal aid attorneys respond to questions about frequent issues from low income communities.
There is a Family Law Section.

23. FORMS & SRL RESOURCES BECOMING AN ADULT BROCHURE
The Louisiana State Bar Association and the Children’s Law Committee published an online Guide to Becoming an Adult with relevant legal information for children turning 18 in Louisiana. The guide includes information on parenting, child support, marriage and divorce.

24. FORMS & SRL RESOURCES ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Child Support
Child Support guide
Child Support enforcement > family support
Louisiana CAFÉ Customer Portal
Child Support Lien Network
Restraining Orders
Guide to restraining orders

25. For more information about resources for self-represented litigants in your jurisdiction, please contact LSBA Projects Counsel Joanna Laidler at