Frequently Asked Questions

Family law (divorce, child custody, child support), temporary protection order hearings (family violence, dating violence, stalking), landlord/tenant issues (security deposit return, eviction defense, maintenance issues), consumer debt issues, bankruptcy, probate issues and wills.

For those who qualify and meet the screening requirements, legal representation is free through our volunteer lawyers. If your income changes while you are a client, you may become ineligible for free services.

While you do not have to pay for your legal representation, you will be responsible for all fees incurred in relation to your legal matter. These fees may include court costs or filing fees, service fees, court reporter fees, recording fees, etc. Fees are not charged by DeKalb Pro Bono or our volunteer lawyers, they are charged by the court or the entity providing the service. You may be able to request that these fees be waived depending on your individual situation. All additional expenses incurred by you, in dealing with your legal matter, including transportation and parking, are your responsibility.

Your information will never be made public or shared in a context outside of the lawyer-client relationship. Once your case has been placed, the lawyer who takes your case will receive a full copy of your case file. At that time, they are bound by the rules of the legal profession to keep your information confidential,. The lawyer who takes your case may continue to discuss your case with DeKalb Pro Bono staff.

Any additional legal problems that you may incur, including appeals of a matter we have provided legal services, will be considered a new case. You must call us again and be screened for assistance with the new matter.

No. We cannot guarantee that any client will be matched with a volunteer lawyer. Because we depend on volunteers, there is always the possibility that a lawyer will not be found to assist you. If we cannot find you a lawyer, we will attempt to connect you with other resources which may assist you in resolving your legal problem.

No. DeKalb Pro Bono has certain case restrictions to ensure that our resources are allocated in a way that is as fair and as effective as possible. For example, we do not handle any criminal cases or slip and fall cases. We handle legal matters relating to family law (divorce, child custody, child support), temporary protection order hearings (family violence, dating violence, stalking), landlord/tenant issues (security deposit return, eviction defense, maintenance issues), consumer debt issues, bankruptcy, probate issues and wills. If you have a case and want to know if we will be able to help, please complete the eligibility screening form. Once we receive the form, we will determine eligibility. Please complete an online form by clicking here.

If you have questions, you may call 404-373-0865 during our intake hours — Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

All clients need to be screened. We do not provide immediate legal assistance over the phone. In order to provide you with any legal assistance, we must first screen you for eligibility. If you meet the screening requirements, we will attempt to place your case with a volunteer lawyer. Please complete the online form to determine eligibility.

To begin this process, please complete an online form. For questions, please call 404-373-0865 during our intake hours (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.). You may complete the online form and submit it anytime.

A screening determines if you meet our client guidelines and if your legal matter falls within one of our service areas. If you appear to be eligible for our services, we will complete a full intake with you. We will then complete an internal review to determine if we are able to take your case, based on the number of requests for services that we have received, and the volunteers we have available. If your case is accepted, we will work with you to get additional documents and information needed for your case. We will then attempt to place your case with one of our volunteer lawyers. To determine eligibility, complete the online form here.

If we are unable to find a volunteer, then we will inform you as soon as possible and suggest some other resources that may be able to help you. If we do find a volunteer for your case, we will provide you with their contact information and send them a copy of your case file. From that point, you will deal directly with that lawyer until your case is resolved, but you will be expected to report back to us if you have any changes that may affect your eligibility status.

Yes. In June of 2022, DeKalb Volunteer Lawyers Foundation formally changed its name to DeKalb Pro Bono. We continue to offer free legal help for low-income individuals in DeKalb County, Georgia with the support of our incredible volunteer lawyers.