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Call 2-1-1
CALL 2-1-1 to access thousands of local community services. It’s free. It’s confidential. It’s available 24 hours a day in over 150 languages. Locate childcare, find help in times of disaster, find food, shelter, crisis counseling plus much more.
American Bar Association Free Legal Answers
Can’t afford a Lawyer? See if you qualify for American Bar Association Free Legal Answers.
https://abafreelegalanswers.org
California Free Legal Answers is a virtual legal advice clinic in which qualifying users can post civil legal questions at no cost to be answered by pro bono attorneys licensed in their state.
Question topics include Family, Divorce, Custody, Housing, Eviction, Homelessness, Consumer Rights, Financial, Work, Employment, Unemployment, Health and Disability, Civil Rights, Income Maintenance, Juvenile and Education Law.
Civil Rights
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Civil rights issues such as voting rights, discrimination based on disability, race, sex, sexual orientation, religion or national origin, police reform language rights, racial justice, post 9/11 backlash, and worker’s rights.
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Civil rights with a focus on class actions and other cases of broad significance in areas including employment, education, housing, environmental justice, criminal law, and voting.
National Center for Lesbian Rights
Offers legal information to its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender clients.
Consumer
Better Business Bureau
https://www.bbb.org/greater-san-francisco/
Consumers may make inquiries about or file complaints against businesses.
Bureau of Automotive Repair
Offers automotive repair and smog inspection complaints when you believe work has not been done properly, or that you have not been treated fairly by an automotive repair dealer.
California Dept. of Consumer Affairs
Inquiries and complaints against over 180 different businesses or professionals licensed by the DCA, including doctors, dentists, contractors and auto repair technicians.
CA Privacy Enforcement and Protection
Explains “Identity Theft Victims’ Rights” and offers other information about how to protect yourself from identity theft and what to do if it happens to you.
California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)
Regulates and resolves complaints with privately owned electric, natural gas, telecommunications, water, railroad, rail transit, and passenger transportation companies.
Cemetery and Funeral Bureau
Look up a license; file a complaint against cemeteries and related businesses.
Community Care Licensing Division
Offers information about and complaints against facilities such as child day care, adult day programs, group homes, foster homes, residential care for the elderly and health care.
Consumer Credit Counseling Services of San Francisco
CCCS of San Francisco is a non-profit service and a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) and the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies (AICCCA). We are accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children, Inc. and are certified by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide comprehensive housing counseling services. Based in San Francisco, they serve consumers nationwide by phone or internet.
Contractors’ State License Board
Look up a license; file a complaint against licensed or unlicensed contractors.
Dental Board of California
Review a dentist’s license; or file a complaint when you believe that a licensee of the Board has engaged in illegal activities which are related to his/her professional responsibilities. This includes substandard dental care.
District Attorney Fraud Units
www.contracosta.ca.gov/3178/Real-Estate-Fraud-Unit
Reviews complaints received directly from consumers. They look for a pattern and practice of unlawful and unfair business activities, and where appropriate, institute informal, civil or criminal enforcement actions.
Federal Communications Commission
File a complaint with them about telecommunications (radio, television, wire, satellite and cable) goods and services.
Medical Board of California
Review a physician’s license; or file a complaint with the Medical Board when you believe what a physician has done, is doing, or not doing has harmed or may cause harm to you or another person.
Veterinary Medical Board
Anyone who witnesses or believes that a licensed veterinarian or unlicensed person’s behavior or activities may cause harm (or the potential for harm) to animal patients or may be illegal—can file a complaint.
Contra Costa County Agencies
Contra Costa County
Information about and contact information for departments such as the Clerk-Recorder, Child Support Services, District Attorney, Public Defender and the Probation Department.
Criminal Justice Services
Friends Outside
A non-profit organization that provides assistance to inmates and their families through Visitor Centers each state prison, the Family Reunification Project and the Fatherhood Program.
Legal Services for Prisoners with Children
Their focus is on women prisoners and their families, and emphasize that issues of race are central to any discussion of incarceration. Provide manuals such as “Incarcerated Parents Manual – Your Legal Rights and Responsibilities.”
Prison Law Office
Provides free legal services to California state prisoners, and occasionally to California state parolees. Assistance is generally limited to cases regarding conditions of confinement.
Victims of Crime Resource Center
McGeorge School of Law students, under attorney supervision, provide information and referral statewide to victims, their families, victim service providers, and victim advocates.
Victim-Witness Assistance Program
www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/972/Victim-Witness-Assistance-Program
Advocates guide victims and witnesses through the legal system and direct them to agencies and organizations that offer assistance and emergency services.
Disability & Health Care
Adult Protective Services Contra Costa County
www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/914/Adult-Protective-Services
Provides assistance 24-hours a day to elderly and dependent individuals who are victims of physical, emotional or financial harm or abuse.
American with Disabilities Act
This service permits businesses, State and local governments, or others to call and ask questions about general or specific ADA requirements including questions about the ADA Standards for Accessible Design.
Bay Area Legal Aid
Provides free legal services and advice to low-income individuals in the priority areas of housing, domestic violence, public benefits and health access. They handle complex legal issues involving Unlawful Detainer, Social Security, Medi-Cal, spousal abuse and array of legal issues within their priorities.
California Dept. of Managed Health Care
The Help Center will explain your health care rights and help you understand how to use your health care benefits. They make sure that health plans follow the law and address member complaints on time.
California Health Advocates
A non-profit organization provides free individual counseling to Californians about Medicare and other health care issues is available through the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP).
Community Alliance for Special Education (CASE)
Technical assistance consultation on special education rights, responsibilities and services; Direct representation at Individual Education Program (IEP) meetings, due process mediations, and hearings if necessary on behalf of students with disabilities and their parents.
Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF)
An Education Advocate can talk to you about special education and give you resources so you can make informed decisions about your child’s education and other individual needs; and help obtain appropriate education and services for children with disabilities.
The Hawkins Center
Applying for Social Security Disability Insurance and SSI disability benefits can be a complex and overwhelming task that can take two years or more from application to award. The Hawkins Center provides representation to individuals throughout this process, from the initial denial through hearings held before Social Security’s Administrative Law Judges, all the way to federal court if that becomes necessary. If you have been denied your benefits or have questions about Social Security’s disability programs, please contact The Hawkins Center today for a free consultation.
Ombudsman Services of Contra Costa County
https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/915/Long-Term-Care-Ombudsman
A senior citizen’s advocacy group that serves Contra Costa County, they investigate and rectify claims of abuse and neglect in long term care facilities so that seniors can live with dignity and respect.
Social Security / Medicare Eligibility
Official website of the U.S. Social Security Administration provides information and forms to apply for Social Security retirement or disability benefits.
Family Law & Domestic Violence Services
Bay Area Legal Aid
Provides free legal services and advice to low-income individuals in the priority areas of housing, domestic violence, public benefits and health access. They handle complex legal issues involving Unlawful Detainer, Social Security, Medi-Cal, spousal abuse and an array of legal issues within their priorities.
Children & Family
www.contracosta.ca.gov/1549/Employment-Human-Services
Child welfare programs and projects.
Community Violence Solutions and Rape Crisis Center
Offers crisis services and treatment to child, adolescent and adult survivors of recent or past rape, incest, molestation or other forms of sexual abuse, as well as to friends or family members of sexual assault survivors. Serves Marin and Contra Costa Counties.
Department of Child Support Services
www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/1374/Child-Support-Services
The Contra Costa County agency is responsible for establishing, collecting and distributing child and medical support for minors.
Employment & Human Services—Contra Costa County
www.contracosta.ca.gov/1549/Employment-Human-Services
Social services program and contact information.
Family Justice Center
http://www.cocofamilyjustice.org/
Serving Contra Costa County families affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, elder abuse, and human trafficking. The Family Justice Center combines personalized care with a mountain of resources to bring families safety, healing, and community.
Locations:
- West County Center, Richmond, (510) 974-7200
- Central County Center, Concord, (925) 521-6366
- East County Center, Antioch (925) 281-0970
Family Law Facilitator Program
http://www.cc-courts.org/family/flf.aspx
Helps people who do not have attorneys to handle their divorce, child custody and visitation, child and spousal support, and paternity cases.
STAND! Against Domestic Violence
Helps by providing a crisis hotline and emergency services.
Other Domestic Violence hotlines:
National Domestic Violence Hotline
W.O.M.A.N., Inc.
Asians Women’s Shelter
La Casa De Las Madres
California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs)
http://www.cdss.ca.gov/CalWORKS
CalWORKs is a public assistance program that provides cash aid and services to eligible families that have children in the home.
Family Law – Children’s Services
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates)
Volunteers watch over and advocate for abused and neglected children to make sure they do not get lost in the over-burdened legal system or languish in an inappropriate group or foster home.
Legal Services for Children
Provides free legal and social work services to children and youth. They represent children and youth in cases that include legal guardianship, dependency, school discipline, immigration, emancipation, and restraining order proceedings.
Housing & Property Services
Bay Area Legal Aid
Provides free legal services and advice to low-income individuals in the priority areas of housing, domestic violence, public benefits and health access. They handle complex legal issues involving Unlawful Detainer, Social Security, Medi-Cal, spousal abuse and array of legal issues within their priorities.
Department of Fair Employment & Housing
Maintains the authority to investigate complaints of discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, public accommodations and hate violence.
Foreclosure
http://www.courts.ca.gov/1048.htm
This website can help answer your questions on foreclosure and resources.
Housing and Economic Rights Advocates (HERA)
HERA provides legal advice and counseling in-person and over the phone to the public in their core practice areas which are are predatory or unfair mortgage lending, abusive mortgage servicing, foreclosure prevention, wrongful collections and wrongful credit reporting.
La Raza Centro Legal
Provides direct legal services in the areas of immigration law, workers’ rights and senior law to the low-income, monolingual Spanish-speaking and immigrant communities.
Immigration / Immigrant Services
Stand Together Contra Costa
https://standtogethercontracosta.org/
Hotline: (925) 900-5151
Staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Call for help if:
- You see Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in progress at your home, school, workplace, or in the community
- You or someone you know has been detained or arrested by ICE
- You or someone you know is facing deportation proceedings
Stand Together Contra Costa is a rapid response, legal services, and community education project to support safety and justice for immigrant families in Contra Costa County. They offer community workshops, legal clinics and trainings. The mission of Stand Together Contra Costa is to ensure that all people in Contra Costa County, regardless of immigration status or ability to pay, are afforded the rights established by the United States Constitution and are protected from actions or policies that result in disparate, discriminatory, or unlawful treatment.
Hola Asistente is a free personal immigration assistant.
Hola Asistente, a free virtual immigration assistant for anyone in immigration court.
Tracks and alerts you about your precise case information while teaching you the basics of immigration law, in either Spanish and English.
Powered by vetted immigration attorneys, Hola Asistente provides you detailed case information, alerts you about any changes, and teaches you the basics of immigration law in the United States.
La Raza Centro Legal
Provides direct legal services in the areas of immigration law, workers’ rights and senior law to the low-income, monolingual Spanish-speaking and immigrant communities.
California Courts – The Judicial Branch of California
Immigration Resource Directory
California state courts serve all people. It does not matter what language you speak or where you were born. Find resources and information on immigration issues.
American Bar Association Federal Free Legal Answers
- Immigration: Deportation, asylum, green cards, work permits, DACA, children’s cases, employment-based immigration, citizenship and other immigration issues.
Labor & Employment Services
Department of Fair Employment & Housing
Maintains the authority to investigate complaints of discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, public accommodations and hate violence.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Any individual who believes that his or her employment rights have been violated may file a charge of discrimination with EEOC.
La Raza Centro Legal
Provides direct legal services in the areas of immigration law, workers’ rights and senior law to the low-income, monolingual Spanish-speaking and immigrant communities.
Labor Commissioner
Adjudicates wage claims, investigate discrimination and public works complaints, and enforces Labor Code statutes and Industrial Welfare Commission orders.
Legal Aid at Work
Legal Aid at Work offers free information online, including more than 100 fact sheets about specific areas of law, mostly related to employment. They offer free services (phone, in-person, or via video conference) for low income workers at their Workers’ Rights Clinics in San Francisco, Berkeley, and East Palo Alto (along with 7 other clinic locations). They provide services in English, Spanish, Cantonese and Mandarin and can arrange services in additional languages.
Workers’ Compensation
California Dept of Industrial Relations/Division of Worker’s Compensation provides detailed information about workers’ compensation claims and benefits.
Legal Referral & Complaints
State Bar of California Complaint Department
http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Public/Complaints-Claims
Register a complaint with the State Bar if you believe that your lawyer acted improperly or unethically, but not just because there is some disagreement between you, or you believe he or she did a poor job.
Commission on Judicial Performance
Independent state agency investigates complaints of judicial misconduct, judicial incapacity and for disciplining judges.
Small Claims Court Advisor
http://www.cc-courts.org/small-claims/small-claims.aspx
The Small Claims Advisor helps both plaintiffs and defendants understand how to prepare and file their court forms, follow court procedures, consider different ways to settle a case, and get ready for court.
Senior Services
Adult Protective Services Contra Costa County
www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/914/Adult-Protective-Services
Provides assistance 24-hours a day to elderly and dependent individuals who are victims of physical, emotional or financial harm or abuse.
Bay Area Legal Aid
Provides free legal services and advice to low-income individuals in the priority areas of housing, domestic violence, public benefits and health access. They handle complex legal issues involving Unlawful Detainer, Social Security, Medi-Cal, spousal abuse and array of legal issues within their priorities.
California Dept. of Managed Health Care
The Help Center at the Department of Managed Health Care will explain your health care rights and help you understand how to use your health care benefits. They make sure that health plans follow the law and address member complaints on time.
California Health Advocates
A non-profit organization provides free individual counseling to Californians about Medicare and other health care issues is available through the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP).
Common Scams that Target the Elderly
https://www.seniorliving.org/research/common-elderly-scams/
This guide covers the various fraud tactics that scammers commonly use, followed by more detail on each type of fraud. Last but not least, if you suspect that you or someone you know may be a victim of a scam, briefly review the resources you can turn to.
Contra Costa Senior Legal Services
Non-profit organization dedicated to providing free civil legal services to Contra Costa County residents who are 60 or older.
La Raza Centro Legal
Provides direct legal services in the areas of immigration law, workers’ rights and senior law to the low-income, monolingual Spanish-speaking and immigrant communities.
Ombudsman Services of Contra Costa County
A senior citizen’s advocacy group that serves Contra Costa County, they investigate and rectify claims of abuse and neglect in long term care facilities so that seniors can live with dignity and respect.
Social Security / Medicare Eligibility
Official website of the U.S. Social Security Administration provides information and forms to apply for Social Security retirement or disability benefits.
Superior Court Services
Superior Court of California County of Contra Costa
Court hours, contact information, on-line case information, local court rules, court divisions and case types, jury service, court administration and court resources.
Veteran’s Services
FREE LEGAL SERVICES FOR VETERANS
Veterans Accession House
(925) 822-3175
Qualifying veterans may be eligible for free legal advice and/or representation for:
VA Disability Compensation Appeals
Military Records Correction
Debt and Credit Correction
Sealing Criminal Records
Criminal Expunctions
Uncontested Divorce
Landlord Mediation
Discharge Upgrades
Bankruptcy
The Legal Services for Homeless Veterans and Veterans At-Risk for Homelessness (LSV) Program is funded through the Dept. of Veterans Affairs.
Concord Vet Center
Concord, CA 94520-7931
Hours
- Mon. 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Tue. 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Wed. 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Thu. 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Fri. 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Sat. Closed
- Sun. Closed
Need help after hours?
Our call center is available 24/7. Call us anytime at 877-927-8387.
CC County Veterans Service Office
Comprehensive benefit counseling, claim preparation, case management and appeal assistance when appropriate.
Stateside Legal
To help military members, veterans and their families access benefits, find free legal help, and better understand your legal issues.
American Bar Association FEDERAL Free Legal Answers
- Veterans: VA benefits, discharge upgrades, VA debts and overpayments, correcting or ordering military records, military retirement, and VA pension.
This federal site does NOT ACCEPT questions about divorce, child custody or support, housing matters, creditor and debt issues, probate or estate matters, or other similar state-law questions. To ask these questions, please visit the main ABA Free Legal Answers website and choose your state.