Low-Cost Legal Resources in Dane County 

State Bar of Wisconsin
P.O. Box 7158
Madison,WI 53707-7158
Phone: (608) 257-3838
Fax: (608) 257-5502

Legal Assistance - Up to two hours of free consultation with a business attorney on areas such as taxes, securities law, employee benefits, intellectual property, labor law,environmental law, etc.

Eligibility - Small and emerging businesses in Wisconsin. Services provided regardless of financial status.

Costs- Free consultation

Contact - No particular contact

Staff - Volunteer business attorneys

Publications - Web site - http://tinyurl.com/ct97xz

Post Office Box 44008
Madison, WI 53744-4008
Phone: (608) 848-1950
Fax: (608) 848- 9266
Email: Bob@dcba.net or Le@dcba.net
Hours: No regular office hours. Call between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Legal Assistance - Volunteer attorneys mediate civil and family law cases (financial issues only) filed in Dane County Circuit Court through voluntary or court ordered mediation.

Eligibility - Open to all parties with litigation pending in the Dane County Circuit Court.

Costs - Filing fee for mediation is $75.00 per party

Contact - Bob or Le Jordan

Staff - Volunteer attorneys who are members of Dane County Bar Assocation.

Publication - Web site - http://www.dcba.net/programs/CaseMediationProgram.html

222 South Hamilton St., Suite 22
Phone: (608) 204-9642
Hours: Monday-Thursday 1:00 P.M. - 4:00 P.M.

Legal Assistance - Representation in many areas, including landlord/tenant, disability and mental health, employment, discrimination, consumer/credit child welfare, lad use, environmental, and criminal law.

Eligibility - Individuals who are underrepresented and/or unable to afford an attorney. Potential clients must first participate in an intake phone interview that lasts 10-30 minutes.

Costs - Affordable representation through income-sensitive fees

Contact - Mr Mitch, Executive Attorney, (608) 204-9642; Kathryn Peacock, Executive Attorney, (608) 204-9642

Staff - Six lawyers, five of whom are graduates of UW

Publications - Web page - http://www.communityjusticeinc.org/ (includes client brochure)

UW Law School, Room 2221
Phone: (608) 263-6283
Email: semeili@facstaff.wisc.edu
Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 P.M.

Legal Assistance - Representation in federal and state consumer protection law suits. Assistance in filling out forms related to the case.

Eligibility - Individuals unable to afford an attorney. No set financial guidelines.

Costs - No fees are charged up front. If the client is awarded damages, attorneys fees will be assessed.

Contact - Steve Meili, Director (semeili@facstaff.wisc.edu)

Staff - Second and third year UW law students under supervision of the director, Steve Meili, an attorney and Clinical Associate Professor, and Marsha Mansfield, Clinical Assistant Professor

Publications - Web page - http://www.law.wisc.edu/fjr/clinicals/cllc.html  (Brochure available)

215 South Hamilton St.
Room L1007
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: (608) 266-6316
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 to 4:30

Legal Assistance - DCLRC serves the legal information needs of judges, attorneys, and the general public by providing reference and research assistance, training, and forms sales and distribution. The Center also assists the Dane County Sheriff's Department with providing legal information to inmates of the Dane County Jail. Borrowing privileges are available to court staff, licensed attorneys, federal, state, and city government agency employees. Borrower cards obtained at DCLRC can also be used at the Wisconsin State Law Library. . DCLRC reference staff can help users in the library or answer questions via phone, mail, or email. Resource Center staff cannot give legal advice but can refer users to other local agencies who can offer legal assistance.

Eligibility - Judges, attorneys and the general public.

Costs - No costs, except for legal forms that are available for purchase or for document delivery.

Contact - Lisa Winkler, Reference/Outreach Services Librarian.

Staff - Two librarians.

Publications -

Website at: http://wilawlibrary.gov/about/locations.html
Low-Cost Legal Assistance In Dane County - http://wilawlibrary.gov/branch/dclrc/pub/dclegalassist.pdf
Dane County Family Law Resource Guide: http://wilawlibrary.gov/branch/dclrc/pub/familylaw.pdf
Dane County Landlord/Tenant Legal Resource Guide - http://wilawlibrary.gov/branch/dclrc/pub/landlord.pdf

State Bar of Wisconsin
PO Box 7158
Madison, WI 53707
Phone: (608) 257-4666 or 1-800-362-9082 (Wisconsin only)
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Email : pruppert@wisbar.org

Legal Assistance - Callers talk to an experienced legal assistant who can assist in locating the best sources of help. Assistants generally refer callers to one or more of three services: Lawyer Hotline - An attorney answers a caller's simple legal question; Lawyer Referral - Caller is referred to a Wisconsin attorney who practices in the area about which the caller is inquiring; Community Referral - Caller is referred to community sources such as low income legal services, government agencies, consumer protection, and other services.

Eligibility - All Wisconsin residents

Costs - Free service, unless the caller makes an appointment to speak with an attorney. In this case, the attorney will charge potential client no more than $20.00 for an initial half hour consultation.

Contact - Patricia Ruppert (pruppert@wisbar.org)or request a lawyer directly at LRISResponse@wisbar.org

Staff - State Bar legal assistants and volunteer attorneys

Publication - Information is available off of the State Bar's web site at http://www.legalexplorer.com/lawyer/lawyer-talk.asp

31 South Mills Street
Madison, WI 53715
Phone: (608) 256-3304 or 1-800-362-3904
Fax: (608) 256-0510
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.*

Legal Assistance - Public benefits/Health law ( i.e. Wisconsin works [W-2],Supplemental Security Income [SSI], Food Stamps, Medicaid)Family law ( i.e. divorce, child support, custody) Senior law (i.e. medicare, social security, elder abuse)Housing (i.e. landlord-tenant, public and subsidized housing, rent control) Education (i.e. expulsion and suspension, school lunch program denials) Migrant Project (legal services to migrant farmers)Jobs/economic law (i.e. removal of legal barriers to employment)

Eligibility - Low income individuals and families. See http://www.badgerlaw.net/Home/PublicWeb/LAW/IncomeEligibilityPage for income guidelines

Costs - Free services for qualified, income-eligible persons

Contact - No particular contact person

Staff - Attorneys and paralegals

Publication - Web site - http://www.legalaction.org/legalservices.htm

Note* - Walk in service, but times of service vary depending on the type of assistance that is needed.

Student Activity Center
Office #3111
333 East Campus Mall
Madison, WI 53715
Phone: (608) 263-3243
Hours: Monday - Friday 10:00am - 4:00pm*

Legal Assistance - UW law students offer information about the law surrounding specific legal issues and provide referrals. Cannot offer legal advice, but will provide referrals to attorneys and advocates authorized to give such advice

Eligibility - UW Madison Students, faculty, staff and residents of the Madison community.

Costs - Free services

Contact - No particular contact person

Staff - UW law student volunteers

Publication - Web site - http://www.thelegalinformationcenter.com; LIC Referral Handbook (List of Wisconsin community resources for legal assistance)

Note* - The LIC is only open during the University’s Fall and Spring semesters. These hours are subject to volunteer availability, so please call before visiting office.

2300 S. Park St.(Villager Mall)
Madison, WI 53713
Phone:(608) 260-8221
Fax (608) 442-1262
Hours: Monday-Thursday 1:00-4:30 (or by appointment)

Legal Assistance -  Provides free legal services to Dane County residents. NLP helps with legal problems involving housing, employment, and public benefits.

Eligibility - Dane County Residents.

Costs - Free services

Contact - No particular contact person

Staff - UW law students under the supervision of attorneys.

Publication - Web site - http://www.law.wisc.edu/fjr/eji/neighborhood/

Dane County Courthouse

215 S Hamilton St.
Madison, WI 53703
Phone:(608) 266-4311
Hours: Tuesdays 9:00 to 11:00 AM

Legal Assistance - Walk in program provides legal information, with the purpose of assistning pro se litigants in the small claims process. Assistance questions, forms, and procedures regarding Small Claims monetary, replevin, garnishment, and eviction actions. Legal advice is not given.

Eligibility - Unrepresented small claims litigants in Dane County.

Costs - Free services

Staff - Volunteer Attorneys

Publication - Web site - http://www.co.dane.wi.us/clrkcort/prepare/assistance.aspx

Dane County Courthouse
Room 1000
215 S Hamilton St.
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: (608) 266-4311
Hours: Monday - Friday 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Legal Assistance - Claims are filed with the clerk of Small Claims Court. The clerk provides the necessary forms. The claimant must complete the forms, pay the fee, and wait for a decision. The forms must contain the following information: Time of incident, names and addresses of all persons involved, specific details about what happened, the amount of money involved

Eligibility - Claims can be filed in Dane county if one of the following circumstances are present : The person or business being sued resides or does a substantial amount of business in the county. The claim arose in Dane County.Property involved in the claim is in Dane County.

Costs - $59.00 filing fee and a $2.00 filing fee for each defendant, payable at the time the claim is filed. If claimant wins, fees will be awarded.

Contact - No particular contact person

Staff - Clerk of Circuit Court

Publications Guide to Small Claims Court - http://www.wicourts.gov/about/pubs/circuit/smallclaimsguide.htm 
The State Bar of Wisconsin also has a guide to small claims court - http://tinyurl.com/dl5raf

http://www.wisbar.org

Legal Assistance -

"Legal Research Tools" - http://www.wisbar.org/legalres - this section of the site contains links to a variety of sources, including Wisconsin legislation, case law, administrative decisions, local and federal court rules and circuit court forms.

"Legal Explorer" - http://www.legalexplorer.com/main.asp -site created by the state bar provides a starting point for resolving a legal issue. Some of the highlights include options which allow patrons to:

- contact a legal assistant through the LRIS program
- search for a LRIS registered lawyers
- find answers to frequently asked questions about the law
- find information about consumer news of interest

Eligibility - No restrictions for access to the site (although only Wisconsin residents are eligible for State Bar of Wisconsin services).

Costs - No costs for access to the site.

1202 Williamson Street, Suite A
Madison, WI 53703
Housing Counseling: (608) 257-0006 or 1-877-238-RENT (877-238-7368)
Mediation: (608) 257-2799
Fax: (608) 257-0143
Email: trc@mail.studentorg.wisc.edu
Hours: Monday - Friday 9am to 6pm

Legal Assistance - Landlord-tenant mediation Information and counseling on landlord-tenant rights and responsibilities

Eligibility - Tenants and landlords in Dane County

Costs - Free services

Contact - No particular contact person

Staff - Primarily volunteers

Publications - Web site - http://www.tenantresourcecenter.org/
Apartment Management in Wisconsin : a Self-help Guide for Property Managers and Owners - Law Library Reserve KFW 2517 Z9 L36
Student Tenant Union's Renter's Guide - Law Library Reserve KFW 2517 Z9 T46
Tenant's Rights in Wisconsin - Memorial Library KFW2517 Z9 T46

Sponsored by Madison Public Library and the Wisconsin Department of Revenue
Various locations
Phone: (608) 266-6300 (Madison Public Library)

Legal Services - Assistance with completing tax forms. Most VITA activity consists of completing and calculating simple individual taxes on 1040A and EZ forms and the calculation of Wisconsin's Homestead Credit. For further information, see http://www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/calendar/tax.html

Eligibility - All taxpayers

Costs - Free services

Contact - Call the Madison Public Library or Madison IRS office to schedule an appointment.

Staff - Law student volunteers who receive training from the IRS and the Wisconsin Department of Revenue.

Publications - The IRS and Wisconsin Department of Revenue distribute publications free of charge to the public. See: http://www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/calendar/tax.html and http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=107626,00.html