New Hampshire residents seeking legal help with civil court cases like evictions, domestic violence petitions, or accessing public benefits can now call into new statewide call center run by 603 Legal Aid, a newly formed legal aid organization.
Two agencies – the NH Pro Bono Referral System and the Legal Advice and Referral Center – merged to create 603 Legal Aid last month, an effort to make it easier to access civil legal representation.
“Our new program will work to focus on civil cases that are related to clients’ basic human needs, that includes evictions, foreclosures, and loss of housing benefits, domestic violence, it can include things like family law and public benefits,” Sonya Bellafant, executive director of 603 Legal Aid, said at a press conference announcing the call center. New Hampshire Legal Assistance, another civil legal aid organization, will also partner with 603 Legal Aid to provide services.
To be eligible for free legal help, clients can only earn up to 200% of the federal poverty line, or $53,000 for a family of four. The organization also serves adults over 60. When callers contact the center, 603 Legal Aid will determine if they qualify for services, connect them with an attorney or refer them to other resources.
The New Hampshire Access to Justice Commission, created by the NH Supreme Court, released a report in January that outlined gaps in civil legal services for poor residents. The report found that clients had trouble navigating the network of different legal organizations, and recommended organizations streamline that system.
Unlike in criminal law, there is no legal right to a lawyer for civil cases. According to the Access to Justice Commission’s report, in 2019, 88% of domestic violence plaintiffs in New Hampshire had no lawyer to represent them. In addition, 97 percent of defendants in landlord-tenant cases and 95 percent of defendants in small claims cases had no attorney, Supreme Court Chief Justice Gordon MacDonald said in the press conference.
At issue is equal access to basic rights involving safety, security, housing, health care, and access to benefits, MacDonald said.
“The rule of law is eroded and its promise of equal justice is diminished when so many among us cannot afford a lawyer to secure their basic rights and needs.”
Low-income residents who qualify for free legal help can call 800-639-5290 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on weekdays, or access 603 Legal Aid’s website 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.