Missouri
Other places to find legal help and information:
Discounted & Pro Bono Legal Services
There are a variety of discounted and pro bono programs to aid Missourians. Some are funded by state and federal funds such as the four Legal Services programs, while others are affiliated with local organizations and charities. The Missouri Bar Access to Justice Committee works to locate these various agencies and share information on these resources, helping connect those in need of a lawyer who cannot afford one. For a list of discounted & pro bono services, click here.
Need to find and hire an attorney? The Missouri Bar is here to help. Use our free Lawyer Search to find a lawyer to hire who is currently accepting new clients. You can search by areas of practice and location (city or county). This free feature will help you find a list of lawyers who have indicated that they are accepting new clients in various areas of the law. Included in the listing for these lawyers, you will find office addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and links to their firms’ websites. To conduct a lawyer search, click here.
Limited Scope Representation
If you have a family law issue and do not feel that you can afford to hire an attorney to resolve the matter then another option may be to hire an attorney for limited scope representation. The Lawyer Search feature at https://mobar.org/public/LawyerSearch.aspx allows the public to search for family law attorneys who will provide limited scope representation. There is a dropdown box on the Lawyer Search page under "Choose Area of Practice" where you can select the area of law that you wish to search for. If you select "Family Law – Limited Scope Representation" then this will give you a list of attorneys that have registered through this search feature who offer limited scope representation. There are dozens of attorneys in Missouri that have registered through Lawyer Search indicating they offer limited scope representation for family law matters.
More information to explain limited scope is available at: https://missourilawyershelp.org/limited_scope_representation/.
Additional Legal Resources:
M.A.R.C.H. Inc. (Mediation Achieving Results for Children) is a state-wide nonprofit (501c3) that provides mediation and limited-scope legal services for families to resolve disputes including custody, access and visitation, and financial support of children. These services may be provided free of charge to Missouri families that qualify. More information is available at https://www.marchmediation.org/.
The Representing Yourself website by Missouri’s Courts is designed to provide information, resources and forms for those involved in family law matters in the state of Missouri.
Missouri Courts Forms: The Missouri Courts website has electronic forms that were developed and approved for use in Missouri courts. Court staff are happy to help you if they can. However, courts staff are allowed to help you only in certain ways since they must be fair to everyone. It's best to learn what court staff can and cannot do for you before you ask for help. You may need to seek legal counsel if you are unable to complete or understand the forms.
Expungement of Criminal Records: Individuals seeking expungement of their criminal record(s) under the new law which took effect Jan. 1, 2018, are encouraged to hire an attorney to aid them in the petition process. The Office of State Courts Administrator has published information regarding criminal record expungement and a petition form on the State Courts website.
Missouri Bar Public Resources: In today’s increasingly complex society, a basic understanding of legal issues is more important than ever. Through educational programs, publications, and more, The Missouri Bar helps citizens throughout Missouri understand and navigate the legal system.
Missouri Bar Legal Topics: Free resource guides, brochures and forms on a variety of legal topics which contain practical information written by Missouri lawyers who have knowledge and experience in different aspects of Missouri law. The information on this website is provided as educational material about the laws and legal system. It does not constitute legal advice. Because each person’s circumstances are unique, please contact an attorney for specific legal advice before making decisions that involve the law.
Missouri Legal Services has legal resource information and forms available for download on their website pertaining to topics such as: Bankruptcy, Disability, Domestic Violence, Employment, Family Law, Housing, Taxes, Utilities, and more.
The Missouri Attorney General’s Office has several resource publications available to download on topics such as: Landlord Tenant Law, Consumer Rights, The Court Process, Crime Victims’ Rights, Identity Theft, Medicaid Fraud, Domestic Violence, and more.
Need help with food, clothing, shelter, medicine or other services?
- United Way 2-1-1 Missouri: United Way 2-1-1 is your 24/7 connection for resources and agencies near you. This listing includes most counties in Missouri.
- United Way 2-1-1 Greater Kansas City: United Way 2-1-1 is a free and confidential service that connects people to everyday needs. This listing includes 16 counties in Missouri.
Other helpful resources:
- Annual Credit Request Service : The only free credit report available annually per federal law from all three major credit reporting bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion).
- Division of Workforce Development in the Department of Economic Development Career Centers : The Division provides services for businesses and job seekers through the Missouri Career Centers at https://jobs.mo.gov/.
- Family Support Division of the Missouri Department of Social Services -Contact Your Local DSS Office: The Family Support Division of the Missouri Department of Social Services helps families with child support issues, food stamps, health care, blind services, income issues (TANF), shelter services and other needs based services.
- Missouri Affordable Housing Locator provided by the Missouri Housing Development Commission
- Missouri Attorney General’s Office Consumer Complaints Division
- Missouri Division of Finance Complaint
- Missouri Department of Insurance Complaint
- Missouri Centers for Independent Living
- Missouri Commission on Human Rights
- Missouri Community Action Agencies
- Missouri Courts
- Social Security and Disability: Social Security delivers a broad range of services online, such as Benefits for People with Disabilities, and through a nationwide network of more than 1,400 offices that include regional offices, field offices, card centers, teleservice centers, processing centers, hearing offices, the Appeals Council and state and territorial partners.
- The National Domestic Violence Hotline
- The Crime Victim Advocacy Center website lists various resources, including Legal Advocates for Abused Women (LAAW).
- The Missouri Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence
- National Immigration Legal Services Directory
- American Civil Liberties Union: If you would like to file a complaint with the ACLU, you may complete their online complaint form or download the form to mail at: https://www.aclu-mo.org/your-rights/file-a-complaint/.
Active-Duty Military/Veterans Legal Assistance
ABA Home Front
ABA Home Front provides legal information, resources, and a directory of legal programs for veterans, service members, and military families. Programs listed include military legal assistance offices, legal aid and pro bono organizations, lawyer referral and information services, and military-specific programs where available.
ABA Military Pro Bono Project
The ABA Military Pro Bono Project accepts case referrals from military attorneys on behalf of junior-enlisted, active-duty military personnel facing civil legal issues, and it works to place these cases with pro bono attorneys.