| Problem | Where to start | Contact and hours | Planning use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment, tax and other civil issues | Philadelphia Legal Assistance (PLA) General Intake Hotline | 215-981-3800; Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. | Call in the morning window; the line is closed on Fridays. |
| Family law | PLA Family Law Hotline | 215-981-3838; Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. | Plan your call around those two mornings. |
| Mortgage, sheriff sale or title problems | PLA Save Your Home Philly Hotline | 215-334-HOME (4663); Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | The longest hotline hours of the group, so it is the easiest to reach. |
| SSI problems | Community Legal Services (CLS) | Apply to CLS; you may be referred on to PLA | Go to CLS first rather than calling PLA cold. |
| Criminal record clearing | Philadelphia Legal Services for Expungement (PLSE) | +1 (267) 519-5323; no walk-ins, call for an appointment | Book ahead and do not travel to the office unannounced. |
Hotline details come from Philadelphia Legal Assistance, and the record clearing intake rule comes from PLSE.
Free legal aid Philadelphia residents can use depends on the problem: Community Legal Services covers housing, records and SSI, Philadelphia Legal Assistance runs hotlines, and PLSE helps with criminal records. Call before visiting.
The right provider matters more than the right courthouse at the start. For background on the agencies you may meet along the way, see how is philadelphia city government organized.
Phase one: sort your problem before you call
Most delays come from calling a provider that does not handle your kind of case. A few minutes of sorting saves a wasted hotline window, especially because several lines open only a few mornings a week.
- Name the problem type. Eviction or another housing dispute, a criminal record, a benefits or SSI problem, a family matter, or a mortgage or sheriff sale issue each point to a different starting place in the table above.
- Note where you live and where the matter arose. Some providers serve only certain counties. PLSE’s expungement project serves Philadelphia County only, and LCD serves residents or matters in Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware or Montgomery County.
- Check household circumstances. Legal aid programs apply income guidelines, and some, such as LCD, also require a disability or chronic illness in the household.
- Gather your papers. Leases, notices, court paperwork and benefit letters make an intake call shorter and more useful.
Whether your matter belongs before the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas or elsewhere is something an intake advocate can confirm once they hear the facts, so you do not need to settle it yourself first.
Phase two: reach a free legal provider
Three kinds of providers cover most needs: a general civil legal aid organization, a hotline-based service and specialist projects. Pick the one that matches your problem, then be ready to be referred on.
Community Legal Services of Philadelphia
Community Legal Services of Philadelphia lists public benefits, employment, housing, debt and consumer rights, utilities, family, criminal records and senior matters among its practice areas, and names Right to Counsel, Record Clearing Advocacy and Clean Slate among its special projects, according to its benefits help page. It lists a Center City office at 1424 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19102, and a North Philadelphia Law Center at 1410 W. Erie Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19140. Because this is the broadest provider, it suits tenants, people with record problems and anyone with an SSI issue. Confirm income and case-type eligibility when you apply.
Philadelphia Legal Assistance hotlines
PLA says that calling one of its hotlines is the fastest way to speak with an advocate. Use the General Intake Hotline for unemployment, tax and other issues, the Family Law Hotline for family matters, and the Save Your Home Philly Hotline for mortgages, sheriff sales and titles. Numbers and hours are in the table at the top. If your problem is SSI, PLA’s guidance is to apply to CLS instead, and CLS may refer you to PLA.
LCD for disability-related civil matters
LCD advises and represents low-income clients with disabilities in most areas of civil law. To qualify you must meet its income guidelines, you or someone in your household must have a disability or chronic illness or be deaf or hard-of-hearing, and you must live or have a legal matter in one of the five counties listed earlier. If that describes you, LCD is worth trying alongside CLS.
Statewide directory
The Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network is a network of legal aid programs that can be searched by county, as described in the Jenkins Law Library self-help guide. Use it when your matter falls outside the providers above or when you are referred to a program you do not know.
Phase three: eviction and housing problems
Tenants facing eviction should start with CLS, which lists housing as a practice area and Right to Counsel as a special project. Contact CLS as soon as you receive a notice or court paperwork rather than waiting for a hearing date to approach.
- Collect the documents. Gather the lease, any notice you were given, and any court papers.
- Contact CLS. Use the Center City or North Philadelphia offices listed above, and ask about housing help and the Right to Counsel project.
- Ask what applies to your case. An advocate can say which court and which filing steps apply, so do not rely on general information about court procedure.
Homeowners are a different case. Mortgage trouble, sheriff sales and title problems go to the PLA Save Your Home Philly Hotline, which has the widest hours of PLA’s lines. Housing needs that run into benefits, such as help with utilities or the City homestead exemption, can be raised with a BenePhilly counselor, covered below.
Phase four: clearing a criminal record
A criminal record in Pennsylvania is permanent unless a judge orders it erased, according to PLSE. So record clearing under Pennsylvania expungement law always runs through a court order, and it is worth getting a free advocate to work out which route fits your record.
Who can help, and for whom
PLSE provides free legal advice and representation to low-income Philadelphia residents with criminal records, and its expungement project serves Philadelphia County only. Clients from other counties are referred elsewhere. CLS also lists Record Clearing Advocacy and Clean Slate among its special projects.
Convictions and the pardon route
For people below the age cutoff, PLSE says the only way to get a conviction erased is a pardon from the Governor. Its Pardon Project provides free information, advice and representation to qualifying individuals. If you have a conviction rather than a dismissed charge, ask at intake which route applies before you file anything yourself.
Getting an appointment
PLSE’s address is 2221 W. Venango St., Suite 101, Philadelphia, PA 19140, but it does not take walk-ins. Call +1 (267) 519-5323 for an appointment, or use email if phones are down, as explained below.
Benefits and other supports
Not every problem needs a lawyer. If your issue is finding or applying for benefits, BenePhilly centers are a good first stop. Their counselors help city residents work out what they are eligible for, including SNAP, health insurance, tax credits such as the City homestead exemption, student aid and help with utilities, according to the CLS benefits page. The line is 844-848-4376, and six center locations are listed, including Project HOME and People’s Emergency Center.
Newcomers with immigration-related questions should also look at immigrant services philadelphia for the wider support network. If you are weighing where to live and want an office near you, the philadelphia neighborhoods guide adds area context.
When a call does not connect
- PLSE phones down. PLSE has posted that its phones were temporarily out of service during a move and asked people to email [email protected]. Try email if the phone number does not work.
- Hotline closed. PLA lines run in fixed windows, so a call outside them will not reach an advocate. Retry in the next window, and use the Save Your Home Philly Hotline if your problem is mortgage-related, since it runs the longest hours.
- Divorce. PLA is not currently accepting divorce cases because of limited capacity, per the Jenkins Law Library guide. Use the self-help material there and search the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network by county.
- Referred elsewhere. A referral is routine, for example SSI cases moving between CLS and PLA, or out-of-county record clients leaving PLSE. Ask for the next provider’s name and call it promptly.
Frequently asked questions
Where can Philadelphia residents get free legal aid?
Options include Community Legal Services, Philadelphia Legal Assistance hotlines, PLSE for criminal records and LCD for disability-related matters. The Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network lists other programs by county.
Who qualifies for help from Community Legal Services?
Eligibility turns on income and the kind of case, so confirm both when you apply. LCD, a related option, requires income eligibility, a disability or chronic illness in the household, and a link to one of five counties.
What help exists for tenants facing eviction in Philadelphia?
CLS lists housing as a practice area and Right to Counsel as a special project, so it is the first call for tenants. Bring your lease and any notices.
How does record clearing work in Pennsylvania?
Records stay permanent unless a judge erases them. For a conviction, people not yet 70 generally need a pardon. PLSE offers free help to low-income Philadelphia County residents.
