Adams County Legal Services 101: Your Essential Guide to Comprehensive Legal Help

About Adams County Legal Services

Adams County is home to a myriad of legal service organizations free or low cost for their residents. Residents have access to three primary types of legal services. First, Adams County provides legal services through its public defender’s office. The second category of legal services offered to residents is family law legal services. For example, the Colorado Legal District of the Boulder Office provides legal services to residents of Adams County. Third and finally, civil service coverage is offered through two legal clinics. Adams County residents have access to these clinics in Adams County and one clinic in Denver.
Residents of Adams County are provided legal services through its public defender’s office. The office of the public defender provides representation in criminal and juvenile proceedings for Adams County residents who do not have sufficient funds to pay for private representation. The office also provides representation for individuals in civil commitment proceedings on sexually violent offenses titled Sexually Violent Predator (SVP) proceedings .
Colorado Legal District of the Boulder Office provides legal services to residents of Adams County for the following legal matters: domestic relations, memorialization of foreign judgments, determination of heirs, probate, conservatorship, and guardianship. Like the public defender office, there is a financial eligibility criterion that must be met before legal assistance from the Boulder Office can be provided to residents of Adams County. There are further requirements that narrow the types of legal services offered.
In addition to the legal services available through the public defender office or the Boulder Office of the CLLS, Adams County residents can obtain civil legal services through two civil clinics. The Metro Volunteer Lawyers Civil Clinic provides assistance to individuals in cases involving housing foreclosures where litigation is pending. The clinic also assists in evictions and is operated by the Denver Bar Association. The civil clinic can also provide assistance with document review and drafting, court appearances, and communication with an opposing counsel. The second civil legal clinic available to residents of Adams County is operated by the Colorado Legal Services and is referred to as Colorado Legal District Five Clinic.

Where to Find Legal Help

Locating appropriate assistance can be very challenging. While there are many resources to find sufficient aid, when the need is immediate, this can lead to confusion. When seeking legal assistance, it is important to identify the multiple resources available. For instance, the Pennsylvania Bar Association website offers an extensive list of attorneys local to Adams County and surrounding areas. This is coupled with the Pennsylvania Lawyers Referral Service. This service begins with a preliminary interview, before matching to a lawyer best suited for the individual’s need. This allows for an appointment to be arranged before the client arrives at the office. The fee for this service is $25 for 30 minutes of advice. Whether the appointment lasts the entire allotted 30 minutes, or just 5 minutes, the cost is $25. If additional time is needed, the customer must again pay $25. Additionally, Adams County Legal Services provides a great resource for low-income Adams County residents. Between calling, visiting the office, or submitting an online request, people in need can get connected with helpful lawyers at low or no cost. Finally, there are many local and statewide organizations that provide free legal advice. In particular, the Pennsylvania Bar Association provides a comprehensive list of these organizations, and how to contact them. Their goal is to answer a few basic questions and advise individuals seeking additional help.

The Role of Legal Aid in Adams County

Legal aid services in Adams County are designed to assist those who may not otherwise have access to legal support. Legal aid offers full representation at a low cost for people facing certain civil legal issues, including family law concerns, including divorce and custody disputes, guardianship, protection from abuse, bankruptcy, tax, landlord-tenant disagreements, and others. Any person living at or below 125 percent of the federal poverty guidelines will qualify for a full range of legal aid services in Adams County through Adams County Legal Services. Legal aid also serves teenagers up to age 21 who are still living at home and might be considered dependents of their parents, as well as women who were victims of domestic violence or sexual assault and qualified an income level at 250 percent or below of the federal poverty guidelines. As demand for legal aid continues to rise, it is important to understand how this service works and the population that currently uses it to fill a growing need in Adams County.

Navigating Adams County Family Law

Like most regions, Adams County is familiar with the common family law issues such as divorce and child custody matters. Adams County also experiences cases that touch on domestic violence. If you believe you are experiencing domestic violence, you can seek help from the Adams County District or Magistrate Courts. They provide protection orders, sometimes referred to as Protection from Abuse (PFA). You may go directly to your courthouse and request assistance filling out these forms. Adams County Courts have a self-help center to help you get started as well.
On average, Adams County sees over 300 applications for protection orders per year. One of the requirements for obtaining a protection order is that there be a close person/family relationship between the victim and abuser. This includes but is not limited to, husband/wife, ex-husband/ex-wife, girlfriend/boyfriend, and parent/child relationships. You may obtain a protection order at any courthouse in your county. It is important to note that once you have applied for a protection order, you are not required to continue at that specific courthouse if you do not like how you were treated. You can go to any courthouse within your county to continue to pursue a protection order.
Adams County sees a significant amount of divorce filings as well. In the past 10 years, the divorce rate has fluctuated. In 2013, Adams County saw just under 200 divorce cases filed. In 2014, that number jumped to 245 divorces. In 2015, the divorce rate dropped back down to just under 190 divorces. In 2016 and 2017 just less than 130 divorces were filed. The divorce rate has now maintained a steady low in the last 3 years. In 2018, there were 127 divorces, in 2019, there were 109 divorces, and an estimated 150 divorces are expected in 2020.
Another common family law issue in Adams County is child custody and support matters. Although there have been many changes in our correspondence with clients and courts, Adams County courts still have their custody department within their courthouse so that people may file petitions, motions, and so on without the use of technology. Adams County courts also offer custody conferences to people who cannot reach agreements with the opposing party. Suffice it to say, Adams County Courts have kept things simple through these busy times. Adams County Courts have also added online payments for custody and support, which can be convenient for those who do not have access to a computer. Adams County Courts have all these available resources on their website, www.adamscountybarassoc.com.

Criminal Law and Legal Aid

Of course criminal defense and legal services against potential prosecutions are essential in Adams County, since those who value their freedoms understand that a conviction can result in complete loss of freedom. However, even when the outcome is a dismissal or an acquittal in the eyes of the law, there is often still a stigma attached when first being charged or called to answer to a specific charge. To be charged with any crime – or to be accused of committing a crime can haunt someone for a long time, until they manage to clear their name. For persons that are accused of criminal conduct, who are unaware of what steps to take to best protect themselves, Adams County Legal Services can recommend qualified attorneys to help someone that is accused of criminal activity. The benefits of utilizing attorneys are knowing that these skilled legal professionals have years of litigation experience that is needed to vigorously advocate on behalf of the client accused of a crime. Adams County Legal Services understands the intricacies of our local legal system and can refer someone to the best defense attorney for their needs, so their defense strategy can be more specific to the individual situation. If someone has had a previous conviction, but they are still in need of criminal legal services, there is also help through Adams County Legal Services to understand how the law may affect their conviction if they should be in need of legal advocacy again . For example, if their freedom is potentially at risk, they should be aware of available options for legal services, as there are many. There are various types of cases that can be appropriately handled by legal services in Adams County to assist those facing criminal charges, such as drug offenses or juvenile criminal matters. Thankfully, Adams County Public Defender Services are available to help those who do not have enough income to afford their own legal counsel to help present their case and obtain fair representation. Staff members with Public Defender Services are often either public defenders or extensively trained staff members who are qualified to assist public defenders with evaluating evidence and building a strong defense for their clients. They have the experience needed to help and defend persons with criminal charges of all types. Since there are many cases where a strong defense strategy can be used, legal representation is important for those with criminal charges to help with obtaining the best possible outcome under the circumstances. Without a doubt, an experienced public defender can make a dramatic difference in terms of the outcome and what the future holds – especially where someone has been accused of a crime they did not commit.

Obtaining Civil Litigation Help

Adams County and the surrounding areas are afforded help in civil litigation matters through the legal services offered by Adams County Legal Services (ACLS), along with local private attorney volunteers.
ACLS attorney volunteers take on legal cases pro bono, meaning there is no cost to clients who are eligible for legal aid assistance. Attorneys are reimbursed for necessary expenses to handle their cases on behalf of individuals who qualify for low-income legal assistance.
Pro Bono attorneys help with topics that include:
Probate/Conservatorships
Adams County Legal Services assists individuals with probating a will or managing an estate. Legal services also provide help to those who want to set up a conservatorship to manage the affairs of an adult with diminished capacity.
Custody and Parenting Time
Adams County Legal Services offers low-income residents help with child custody and parenting time disputes, such as obtaining PARO orders in which a parent agrees to follow certain court-ordered steps.
Divorce and Dissolution
Residents can seek help through Adams County Legal Services for divorces, dissolution of marriage proceedings, asset division, visitation and parenting time, obtaining MARA (mediation/arbitration) orders, and other divorce and family law cases.
Family Law
Adams County Legal Services provides pro bono assistance to families who are involved with Child Protective Services (CPS). Legal services often represent parents and grandparents of children placed with the Department of Human Services, seek to reunify families, and fight against permanent termination orders.
Money and Debt
Adams County Legal Services frequently assists individuals facing debt collections or harassment by creditors, help apply for bankruptcy, stop wage garnishments, and prevent lenders from foreclosing on property.
Housing
In connection with its foreclosure prevention program, Adams County Legal Services helps eligible residents negotiate settlements between homeowners and lenders, find loan modifications, refer people to affordable housing, and assist with evictions.
Auto
People can seek assistance through Adams County Legal Services with auto repossessions and bankruptcies.

Advantages of Using Local Legal Services

One of the most important aspects of hiring an attorney is the ability of that individual to be available to serve you when you need them. Local Adams County legal services are right around the corner, meaning you can rest assured that your attorney is readily available to assist you. This is especially valuable for real estate transactions, where ongoing communication is crucial .
Adams County attorneys understand the ins and outs of the local court system, making it easier to effectively deal with both disciplinary matters and sentences. They also have a number of qualified attorneys on staff, most of whom are local to the Adams County area, making it easy for you to form a relationship with your legal team.
Utilizing Adams County legal services allows you to enjoy the benefits of location and relationship with your attorney, so you can get the support you need from someone you trust.