How free legal help works in AtlantaA short guide: who to call first and what to expect.
For a civil problem (eviction, custody, protection from abuse, benefits that were cut off, debt), call legal aid. It is free if your income is low. Atlanta Legal Aid, 404-524-5811, serves Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett and Clayton counties. Georgia Legal Services Program, 833-457-7529, serves the rest of the state. They cannot take every case, so call as soon as the problem starts. If they can't take yours, ask who can.
If you are 60 or older, Georgia Senior Legal Aid gives free advice by phone at 404-389-9992. Leave a message, and a lawyer calls you back within about two business days.
If you were arrested or charged with a crime, legal aid can't help, but you have a right to a public defender if you can't pay for a lawyer. Ask the judge for one the first time you are in court.
To clear an old record, call the Georgia Justice Project at 404-827-0027. They help for free with sealing old arrests and some convictions (Georgia calls this record restriction), so they stop showing up when you apply for a job or an apartment.
To handle a family case yourself, the Family Law Information Center in Fulton County has the forms for divorce, custody and child support and explains the steps.
For immigration, use only a lawyer or a nonprofit approved by the U.S. Department of Justice. A "notario" is not a lawyer in the United States. See the guide for immigrants and refugees.
Before you call, put your papers in front of you: court papers and their dates, your lease, letters and proof of income. Court deadlines are short. In an eviction you have 7 days to answer.
org is a free website that explains everyday legal topics in plain language, like family law, housing, money problems, and immigration. It is run together by Atlanta Legal Aid Society and Georgia Legal Services Program, and it helps people find a lawyer, court forms, and other legal resources across Georgia.
Atlanta Victim Assistance is a nonprofit that has helped crime victims since 1984. Trained advocates work with Atlanta police, the city's municipal court, and some schools. They help people stay safe, understand the court process, and find support. Services are free, and you do not have to report the crime or have an arrest to get help.
Georgia Lawyers for the Arts is a nonprofit that has helped Georgia artists and arts groups with legal needs since 1975. Volunteer attorneys help with things like copyright, trademarks, and contracts through short clinics, workshops, and referrals. You join as a member first, and artists with lower incomes can qualify for free legal help.
Georgia Justice Project helps people in Georgia who have been affected by the criminal legal system. It offers free legal help, such as defense lawyers for some Fulton and DeKalb cases, record clearing, and help ending probation early. It also gives social service support and teaches the public about records, voting rights and work licenses. It cannot help everyone who applies.
Atlanta Legal Aid Society gives free help with civil legal problems to people who cannot afford a lawyer. This is the Fulton County downtown headquarters office. They help with things like housing, debt, family and domestic violence issues, disability and health rights, and help for seniors and veterans.
AVLF is a nonprofit that gives free legal help to qualified people in Atlanta. It helps with evictions and landlord problems, protective orders after abuse, and some family law cases. Help starts with a phone call to the intake line.
This is the Fulton County office of the Georgia Division of Child Support Services. It helps parents and caregivers open a child support case, establish paternity, set up or change support orders, and collect payments. Since August 1, 2025, in-person help for this office is given at the Fulton County DHS office on Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway in Atlanta instead of the East Point address.
The State Bar of Georgia is the professional group for Georgia lawyers. For the public, it has a phone line for questions or problems with a lawyer, a free way to settle a fee dispute with a lawyer, and a center that points people to free or low-cost legal aid.
This is a nonprofit law firm that helps Georgia families who own inherited land or a home without clear legal papers (called heirs property). It clears up the title, writes wills and estate plans, and helps owners reach home repair and land programs. Its services are free, but it cannot take every case.
The Governor's Office of Consumer Protection became the Consumer Protection Division of the Georgia Attorney General's office (Department of Law) in 2015, and it now works from 40 Capitol Square SW. It takes complaints about unfair or deceptive business practices, such as problems with car sales, debt collectors and scams, and it tries to resolve them. It also offers free consumer education.
This is the Fulton County Probate Court. It handles wills and estates of people who have died, guardianships for children and adults, marriage licenses, weapons carry licenses, and court orders for mental health and substance use commitments. Staff can answer questions about court services but cannot give legal advice.
The Pro Bono Resource Center is run by the State Bar of Georgia together with the Georgia Legal Services Program. It works to get private lawyers to help people with low incomes who have civil (non-criminal) legal problems.org to find legal aid programs, and it helps local bar groups build their own pro bono programs.
S. government agency that enforces federal laws against job discrimination. If you think an employer treated you unfairly at work, you can file a charge with them. They also offer mediation, training, and help for small businesses and federal workers.
S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. Staff look into problems like unpaid minimum wage, missing overtime pay, child labor violations, and family or medical leave issues, at no cost to the worker. Anyone who thinks their employer did not pay them correctly or broke these labor laws can call or visit to start a complaint.
This is the DeKalb County Probate Court in Decatur. It handles marriage licenses, weapons carry licenses, wills and estates, guardianships, mental health court papers, and probate records. Almost everything is by appointment only, and the court asks people to file online when they can.
This is the DeKalb County office that prosecutes misdemeanor crimes, such as domestic violence, drunk driving, stalking and elder abuse. Its victim advocates help crime victims and their families understand their rights and the court process. They also point people to counseling and other services.
The Justice Resource Center is a Fulton County court help center for people who handle their own legal matters. It has family law forms, a legal research library with public computers, and by-appointment talks with lawyers about family, senior, and housing issues. Staff can point you to the right help but are not lawyers and cannot give legal advice.
The Justice Resource Center is a self-help legal center inside the Fulton County court complex in downtown Atlanta. It helps people who are handling a court case without a lawyer. You can get family law forms, legal research tools, a free monthly family law clinic, and short talks with attorneys. Staff are not lawyers and cannot give legal advice.
Tahirih Justice Center is a national nonprofit with an Atlanta office. It gives free, private legal help and social services to immigrants who have faced violence because of their gender, such as domestic violence, sexual assault, forced marriage or trafficking. Lawyers handle immigration cases, and case managers help with safety plans and finding other help.
The Philip C. Cook Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic is part of Georgia State University College of Law. Law students, supervised by a faculty member and an attorney, represent people who cannot afford a lawyer in federal income or employment tax disputes with the IRS. The clinic has served Georgia taxpayers since 1992.
