People in Calhoun County who can't afford an attorney have a new place to go for assistance with legal problems the Michigan Legal Help Self-Help Center Network of Calhoun County. They have five new places to go, because these Self-Help Centers are located in the Willard, Helen Warner, Homer, Albion, and Tekonsha branches of the public library. Visitors can access computers and printers, and get help using the Michigan Legal Help website to find information about representing themselves in simple civil legal matters. The centers are open for business as of May 1 and are open the same hours as the libraries.
These self-help centers are part of the Michigan Legal Help (MLH) Program, a free, nonprofit legal selfhelp website (www.MichiganLegalHelp.org ) and MLH local self-help centers across the state. Self-help center navigators help visitors use MichiganLegalHelp.org and answer questions about court processes. Navigators cannot give legal advice.
"We are pleased to have five new Michigan Legal Help Self-Help Centers in Calhoun County," said Calhoun County 10th District Court Chief Judge John A. Hallacy. "The library locations will enable residents to easily access free legal forms and information. Many of the people who appear in our courts can't hire attorneys to represent them. Making the Michigan Legal Help website readily available, then adding extra help from the Self-Help Center navigators, is a great way to help people prepare themselves for court."
The Michigan Legal Help Program strives to make legal information easier to understand and to help people properly and efficiently navigate the court system. The website contains articles on legal topics, common questions with answers, and instructional checklists to help people represent themselves. Many court forms can be filled out online using a simple question and answer interview format.
The website can help users look for a lawyer in their area if they need more assistance. It also includes information about local community services and details about the court(s) where a website visitor's legal issue may be handled.
"We are excited to be working with the libraries in Calhoun County," said Michigan Legal Help Project Director Angela Tripp. "The support for this self-help center includes judges and staff from the Calhoun County courts, legal aid lawyers, library staff, and others. All of the Michigan Legal Help self-help centers operate successfully with this community-based approach."
The Michigan Legal Help website and affiliated local self-help centers are part of the Michigan Legal Help Program. The program works with judges, courts, lawyers, bar associations, nonprofit legal aid agencies, legal self-help centers, libraries and many others to promote coordinated and quality assistance for persons representing themselves in civil legal matters in Michigan.
Published: Mon, May 04, 2015
