North Carolina Bar Association ( http://www.ncbar.org/ ) provides a free referral service. For referrals by phone, please call (800) 662-7660 or (919) 677-8574. The referred lawyers will provide you with up to a 30 minute consultation for a maximum charge of $30. You can also access referrals online at https://www.ncbar.org/public/lrs/search.aspx .
Legal Aid of North Carolina ( http://www.legalaidnc.org/ ) is a statewide, nonprofit law firm that provides free legal services in civil matters to low-income people in order to ensure equal access to justice and to remove legal barriers to economic opportunity. To get free help from Legal Aid of NC, you must (1) have a problem that affects your basic needs and that falls within their case acceptance criteria and (2) meet their financial eligibility guidelines for family income and assets. In most cases, the family income must fall below 125% of federal poverty guidelines ( http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/06poverty.shtml ). However, this criteria typically does not apply to domestic violence victims and/or senior citizens. Cases handled typically involve consumer issues, education, employment, family, health, housing or income maintenance. Legal Aid is not able to provide services to every case which meets criteria. Please see the website or contact your local office ( http://www.legalaidnc.org/Programs/default.asp ) for more information.
State of NC Small Claims Court ( http://www.nccourts.org/Courts/Trial/Sclaims/ ) handles civil cases where a plaintiff requests assignment to a magistrate and the amount in controversy is $5,000 or less. The principal relief sought in small claims court is money, the recovery of specific personal property, or summary ejectment (eviction). A magistrate presides over small claims court. There is no jury and usually no lawyers. A person who loses in small claims court may appeal for a trial by jury before a judge in District Court.
Duke Law has some specialty clinics including a low-income taxpayer clinic, a children's education law clinic, an animal law clinic, and a community enterprise clinic. Most of these clinics are not appropriate for graduate student needs. However, more information about these clinics are available on the law school website ( http://www.law.duke.edu/ ) under the Centers & Programs listing.
If you use or attempt to use any of these services, GPSC would like to hear how satisfied you were with your experience. Please write to gpsc@duke.edu with your feedback.