Riverland Community College

• General
• Immigration and Refugee
• Domestic Violence
• Family and Youth
• Housing
• Criminal Cases
• Mental Health and Dsiablitites

General

Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services - Albert Lea Office

132 North Broadway
Albert Lea, MN - 56007
Phone Number: (507) 377-2831
Fax Number: (507) 377-2832

Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services provides free, high-quality legal help to low-income people in critical civil matters. For more than 100 years, we’ve helped individuals and families secure and protect their basic needs, maintaining freedom from hunger, homelessness, sickness, and abuse.

When you call our hotline you will speak to an intake worker or "screener." The screener is not an attorney. They will get basic information from you to determine if you are eligible for our services. All applicants must be screened for eligibility. SMRLS serves low-income people in three regions: southeast Minnesota, southwest Minnesota, and the east metro. We also help agricultural workers throughout Minnesota and North Dakota. To see if you may be eligible for our services take our online eligibility survey, call 1-888-575-2954, or apply online.

Volunteer Lawyers Network (VLN)

Statewide legal services available for low-income people through a network of legal clinics and volunteer attorneys. Spanish legal services available. Assistance can range from brief advice to screening for full representation depending on income level, county of residence, legal issue, and merits of the case.

Clinic assistance is available for family, civil, housing, immigration, criminal expungement, bankruptcy, LGBTQ+, and youth legal issues. Visit VLN's website for a current clinic schedule.

Phone legal assistance is also available in the following areas:

• Administrative Law (DHS disqualifications)
• Bankruptcy (Chapter 7, Adversary Proceedings, Student loan hardship discharge)
• Civil (Consumer, Debtor-Creditor)
• Employment
• Family
• Landlord-tenant
• Real Estate
• Immigration
• Tax

IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE

Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM)

Please call our client line at 1-800-223-1368 during intake hours to schedule an appointment to speak to a legal staff member. We cannot give walk-in or drop-in appointments. Intake Hours: Monday - Wednesday 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm, Thursday 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm.

Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM) is a nonprofit agency that provides immigration legal assistance to low-income immigrants and refugees in Minnesota. ILCM also works to educate Minnesota communities and professionals about immigration matters, and advocates for state and federal policies which respect the universal human rights of immigrants. We bring our full legal passion, dedicated attention and highest quality service to our low-income immigrant and refugee clients and their families. ILCM is a non-profit law office that serves immigrant and refugee families living in Minnesota whose household income is below 187.5% of the federal poverty guidelines, and are seeking assistance with immigration issues.

The Advocates for Human Rights

(612) 341-9845
330 Second Avenue South, Suite 800, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Legal services for low-income asylum seekers and immigrant detainees

Immigration Pathways to Freedom, Standpoint

1-800-313-2666 or (612) 343-9842; Text Line: (612) 743-7397
Direct services, support and representation to victims seeking U and T Visas, Removal of the Condition of Residency, Legal Permanent Residency, Violence Against Women Act Self-Petition and Citizenship, among other petitions.

Center for New Americans - University of MN Law School

Federal Immigration Litigation Clinic, Detainee Rights Clinic, & Immigration and Human Rights Clinic The education and outreach program educates noncitizens about their legal rights. For more information, call 612-625-5515.

United Cambodian Association of Minnesota

(651) 222-3299
1385 Mendota Heights Rd Suite 500, Mendota Heights, MN 55120
Bilingual and bicultural legal and immigration assistance to low-income refugees and immigrants living in Minnesota.

Immigration and Refugee Helpline

(651) 287-3715
Attorneys are available by phone Tuesdays from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Thursdays from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. for people seeking legal help with immigration issues. Service is available in English, Spanish, or Somali.

Domesetic Violence

Violence Free Minnesota (formerly Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women)

24-Hour Phone Line: (866) 223-1111
24-hour hotline for victims of domestic abuse throughout Minnesota helps connect individuals to resources and services available to them.

Standpoint (Formerly Battered Women's Legal Advocacy Project)

1-800-313-2666 or (612) 343-9842; Text Line: (612) 743-7397
Statewide program serving battered women, their advocates, attorneys and the general public in Minnesota.

Family and Youth

Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) Law Center

(612) 879-9165
Legal representation to parents, family members, Indian custodians and children, who are involved in legal matters governed by the ICWA.

Children's Law Center of Minnesota

(651) 644-4438
450 N. Syndicate St, Suite 315, St. Paul, MN 55104
Free advocacy and legal representation for foster care youth in Minnesota.

Youth Law Project

(612) 334-5970 The Project works with children/youth from birth to age 24 anywhere in Minnesota. Legal assistance (no criminal) for low income youth who are abused, neglected, experiencing or are at risk of homelessness or sexual exploitation, or have questions about safety, minor consent, access education, public benefits, obtaining government identification, or any other civil legal issues.

Housing

Free Legal Help for Renters

HOME Line provides free and low-cost legal, organizing, education, and advocacy services so that tenants throughout Minnesota can solve their own rental housing problems. We work to improve public and private policies relating to rental housing by involving affected tenants in the process.

Call 612-728-5767  to discuss your issue.

Eviction Prevention Expansion Project

(507) 292-0080
Providing legal services to tenants in Dodge, Mower, Steele, and Winona Counties when court resumes eviction hearings and a pre-filing diversion project. Call (507) 292-0080 for more information.

HOME Line (Tenant Hotline)

Call: (612) 728-5767 or (866) 866-3546
Statewide tenant’s rights organization that provides free legal advice to renters in Minnesota.

Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans

1-833-222-6228
Assistance throughout Minnesota to veterans and their families who are homeless or experiencing other life crises.

Minnesota Multi Housing Association (MHA)

Landlord/tenant hotline: (952) 858-8222
Landlord/tenant hotline provides pre-recorded information on security deposits, leases, giving notice, discrimination and other topics related to rental statutes and rights.

CRIMINAL CASES

Public Defender - Third Judicial District (Owatonna Office)

(507) 455-5887
135 West Main Street, Suite E, Owatonna, MN 55060
Legal services by court appointment for low-income people who are involved in criminal and juvenile delinquency cases.

MENTAL HEALTH AND DISABILITIES

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

Information: 1-888-NAMI-Helps (1-888-626-4435) or Helpline: 1-800-273-8255
Education, advocacy, support, and referrals for people with mental illness and their families.

JustUS Health (formerly Minnesota AIDS Project and Rainbow Health)

(612) 373-2437
JustUs Health's Legal Services provide legal advice, brief services, and direct representation for HIV–related legal matters.

Cancer Legal Care

(651) 917-9000
3503 High Point Drive, Suite 270, Oakdale, MN 55128
Cancer Legal Care provides caring and compassionate legal services at no cost to Minnesotans affected by cancer.

Minnesota Disability Law Center

1-800-292-4150 or (612) 332-4668 (TDD)
Free civil (non-criminal) legal assistance to individuals with disabilities statewide on legal issues related to their disabilities.