Michigan Legal Help center of Oakland County now open

Residents of Oakland County who are unable to afford an attorney now have a new place to go for assistance - the Michigan Legal Help Self-Help Center of Oakland County. Located in the Adams-Pratt Law Library in the Oakland County Courthouse at 1200 N. Telegraph in Pontiac, the Self-Help Center is staffed by navigators who can help visitors use the Michigan Legal Help website at www.MichiganLegalHelp.org to gain information about how to represent themselves in simple civil legal matters. The Self-Help Center is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. Another branch of the Self-Help Center is located in the Oakland County Clerk's Office and will be available from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday as well. The Michigan Legal Help Self-Help Center of Oakland County was selected to be part of a pilot project overseen by the Solutions on Self-Help Task Force. The project includes the Michigan Legal Help website and several affiliated local pilot self-help centers (with three now open in Oakland, Allegan, and Oscoda counties). The Task Force was established in 2010 by then Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Marilyn Kelly to improve and coordinate resources for self-represented persons in Michigan. "We were pleased to be selected as a Michigan Legal Help self-help center site" said Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Denise Langford Morris. "The partnerships and infrastructure that exist to help self-represented litigants in the Oakland County will be a great benefit to the center. Though it is always best to hire a licensed lawyer, if possible, the information available through the center will assist many persons who have to hand simple legal matters themselves." "The courts see a large number of persons who are representing themselves, and many seek help from our law library," added Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Joan Young. "Having a staffed self-help center will provide enhanced services to insure better and more efficient outcomes for these self-represented parties." The Michigan Legal Help Self-Help Center of Oakland County is an internet-based self-help center that makes use of the free legal information website www.MichiganLegalHelp.org. In addition to the website, self-help center staff (called 'navigators') will be available to help visitors find what they need on the website, answer questions about court practices and processes, and answer simple questions about forms that are available on the website. Navigators cannot give legal advice. The Michigan Legal Help website was created to make legal information easier to understand and to show people who need to handle simple legal matters themselves how to navigate the court system properly and efficiently. The website contains articles explaining specific areas of law, toolkits, forms, and instructional checklists. Many court forms can be filled out online using a simple question and answer interview format. The website can also help users look for a lawyers in their area if they need more assistance. In addition, the website includes information about local community services and details about the court(s) where a website visitor's legal issue may be handled. Published: Fri, Oct 12, 2012

––––––––––––––––––––
 Subscribe to the Legal News!
 https://test.legalnews.com/Home/Subscription
Full access to public notices, articles, columns, archives, statistics, calendar and more
Day Pass Only $4.95!
One-County $80/year
Three-County & Full Pass also available