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Home > Courts > Trial Court Departments > Probate and Family

Probate and Family Court Department
Looking for Legal Assistance - Suffolk County



Massachusetts Probate and Family Court


Welcome to the
Probate and Family Court Department
of the Massachusetts Trial Court.

Many Probate and Family Law matters involve complex and valuable legal rights. You should always speak with an attorney before filing any papers.

 

  Looking for Legal Assistance?


This booklet contains a list of Lawyer Referral Services, Free Legal Resources and Legal Aid Agencies in

Suffolk County



Lawyer Referral
Services

Massachusetts Bar Association
Lawyer Referral Service
Referrals to private attorneys, including reduced fee panel.

Call (617) 654-0400 or (800) 392-6164
email: lrs@massbar.org
To register online, visit http://www.massbar.org/lawhelp/


Boston Bar Association
Lawyer Referral Service
Referrals to private attorneys, including reduced fee panel. Serves mainly Greater Boston, inside Route 495, but will provide referrals throughout Massachusetts.

Call (617) 742-0625 or email: lrs@bostonbar.org
For more information, visit www.bostonbar.org/lrs/index.htm


National Lawyers Guild
14 Beacon Street, Suite 407
Boston, MA 02108
Lawyer referral service geared to low and moderate income clients, women and minority rights issues but will take any case. Spanish speaking staff available.  Serves Greater Boston.

Call (617) 227-7008, Monday through Friday 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. or leave a message


Legal Resources
The Massachusetts Trial Court provides free legal resources

Massachusetts Judicial Branch Web Site
The official web site of the Judicial Branch includes judicial profiles, addresses, phone numbers and directions for courthouses as well as other useful information about the Trial Court. Click on www.state.ma.us/courts


Middlesex Law Library
40 Thorndike Street
Cambridge, MA 02141

The Massachusetts Trial Court Law Libraries are open to the public, providing legal reference services and legal research assistance. The library is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Ask at the Registry of Probate for the Law Libraries pamphlet which provides more details.  Call (617) 494-4148 or visit the Law Libraries web site www.lawlib.state.ma.us


Free resources offered by the Massachusetts Bar Association
Tel-Law
Tel-Law is a collection of recorded messages designed to answer basic questions about the law. Tel-Law is fully automated and you can access it 24 hours / day by calling (617) 338-0669 (Toll charges may apply).

Web Site
The MBA's web site offers answers to basic legal questions. Point your browser to www.massbar.org


Dial-A-Lawyer
The first Wednesday of every month you can get free legal help, by telephone, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.  Lawyer volunteers staff phones to answer your questions.

Call (617) 338-0610


Legal Service Agencies
These resources are available only to very low income and elderly individuals

Legal Advocacy & Resource Center
Provides telephone information, pro se assistance and referrals to legal service agencies. Intake hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Call (800) 342-5297


Greater Boston Legal Services
197 Friend Street
Boston, MA 02114
(800) 323-3205 or (617) 371-1234

Represents custodial parents in divorce, paternity, visitation, parental kidnapping, contested guardianships and contempts (with certain restrictions). Represents prospective guardians if parents do not object. Limited representation in DSS involved cases (with certain restrictions).

Serves all of Suffolk County.


Community Legal Services and Counseling Center
One West Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 661-1216

Handles cases for victims of domestic violence or for primary caretakers in contested custody and visitation cases involving child abuse or neglect. Also handles cases for custodial parent seeking child support.

Serves Boston.


Hale & Dorr Legal Services Center
122 Boylston Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 522-3003

Handles abuse prevention, divorce, paternity, guardianship, adoption, contempt and modifications for custodial parent.

Serves Jamaica Plain, Hyde Park, Roslindale, West Roxbury, parts of the Fenway, South End, Dorchester, Roxbury and Mattapan.


Harvard Legal Aid Bureau
1587 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 495-4408

Handles family law cases for custodial parents; divorce, 209A issues, support, custody, contempt, visitation for non-custodial parent if there is no domestic violence and client is up to date on support.

Serves all of Suffolk County.


New England School of Law Clinical Law Office
46 Church Street
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 442-7380

Handles divorces for primary caretaker only.

Serves Boston.


Suffolk University Legal Assistance Bureau
350 Broadway
Chelsea, MA 02150
(617) 884-7568

Represents indigent clients in divorces involving custody or property.


Jewish Family Services - Bet Tzedek of Boston
1340 Centre Street
Newton, MA 02459
(617) 558-1278

Provides referrals to pro bono or low-cost attorneys in family law cases including divorce, alimony, custody, visitation, domestic violence, guardianship and conservatorship. Will handle Russian speaking clients.

Serves all of Greater Boston.


Volunteer Lawyers Project
of the Boston Bar Association
29 Temple Place, Suite 300
Boston, MA 02111
(617) 423-0648 or (617) 338-6790 (TTY)

Assigns private volunteer attorneys to represent indigent individuals in divorces, child custody cases, wills and uncontested guardianships of minors and adults.

Serves all of Suffolk County.


Family Law Project for Battered Women
Women's Bar Association and
Women's Bar Foundation

Provides free legal services to battered women involved in contested domestic relations cases. Applicants must have been denied eligibility by legal service organizations to qualify.

Call Women's Bar Foundation at (617) 589-9420


Lawyer of the Day
Lawyer of the Day
Private, volunteer attorney offers brief consultation at the courthouse providing basic legal advice to qualifying individuals on a walk-in basis. Attorney does not continue to advise the individual after the initial meeting or accompany individual into the courtroom. Attorney may not be available every day. For availability, call (617) 788-8300 or ask at the Registry of Probate.

 

 



 

 
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Last Updated on September 17, 2007 12:05 PM