What to do after you’ve been served.

Take a deep breath. Read all the papers. The papers will tell you what the case is about and what you need to do. The sooner you read the court papers, the faster you can take action. It is important that you do not wait because court cases have strict deadlines. Learn more in our …

Address Confidentiality

No, you can ask the court to keep your address private. In our article How to Keep Your Address Confidential on Order of Protection Forms, you can find answers to Frequently Asked Questions about address confidentiality as well as links to resources to help you with safety planning. Need more help? MLSA  provides free civil …

Fair Hearing Process: Administrative Reviews

An Administrative Review is the first step of the Fair Hearing Process. It is an informal phone call where you can talk to someone from the Office of Public Assistance (OPA) about your case before the Fair Hearing happens. It’s a chance for you to explain why you think there was a mistake with your …

Young Adult Resource

If you are at least 16, emancipation is a way for you to be treated like a legal adult before you turn 18. When you are emancipated, you are free to act on your own and your parents or guardian is no longer responsible to support you. If you are considering emancipation, it is important …

Tips for Representing Yourself in Court

Do you have questions about representing yourself in court? If you do not have an attorney, representing yourself in court is called “proceeding pro se” and you are called a “pro se litigant.” We have a resource answering the questions we hear most often from folks preparing to represent themselves. Learn how to plan for …

Divorce and Parenting Mediation in Montana

The Montana Family Transition Project is a mediation program that offers you the chance to decide what’s next for your family, instead of going to court and having a judge decide. The program is free to families who are eligible. A trained professional mediator will help you and your co-parent talk through the issues and …

National Health Center Week

This week is National Health Center Week (NHCW)! NHCW gives us a chance to recognize the dedication of Community Health Center teams. Did you know MLSA works with Community Health Centers in Montana to offer free legal help? Since 2015, MLSA’s Montana Health Justice Partnership (MHJP) has connected low-income patients facing health-harming legal problems with …

HelpLine Pause 2024

Montana Legal Services Association (MLSA) is taking a brief pause on accepting new applications from July 29th through August 11th. We will return to business as usual on August 12th. MLSA has always aimed to respond to applicants in a timely manner. However, the need for free legal help has grown, and as a result …