Central Virginia Legal Aid Society (CVLAS) provides free civil (non-criminal) legal assistance to low-income people living in — or who have legal problems arising in — the cities of Richmond, Petersburg, Hopewell, Colonial Heights and Charlottesville, and the counties of Albemarle, Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Fluvanna, Goochland, Greene, Hanover, Henrico, Louisa, Nelson, New Kent, Powhatan, Prince George and Surry.
CVLAS provides legal advice in most areas of civil law and provides legal representation in many areas of civil law.
Cases where we usually provide full representation, such as going to court, include:
Consumer Law
- Bankruptcy (no-asset Chapter 7)
- Debt Collection Defenses in Court
- Garnishment Protection (Bank Accounts & Wages)
- Improper Venue
- Payday Loans / Car Title Loans / Other Predatory Loans
- Repossession of Automobiles / Loan Deficiency Judgement Cases
- Setting Aside Default Judgment
Wills and Powers of Attorney
- Advance Directives (Living Wills)
- Guardianships / Conservatorships
- Powers of Attorney
- Wills
Employment Law
- Unemployment Compensation
- Wrongful Discharge
Family Law
- Avoiding or Reversing Administrative Finding of Child Abuse/Neglect
- Domestic Violence and Family Abuse: Obtaining Protection
- Uncontested No-Fault Divorce: Filing for Divorce on No-Fault Grounds
Health Law
- Medicaid
- Medicare
- Nursing Home Care and Discharges
- Access to the Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare)
Housing Law
- Actions to Stop Evictions after Judgments: Motion to Quash Writ of Possession
- Eviction Defense
- Foreclosure Prevention
- Housing Voucher Problems
- Lockouts / Utility Cutoffs / Self-Help Evictions
- Repair and Maintenance Problems
- Security Deposit Recovery
Public Benefits
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Benefits (formerly Food Stamps)
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
Cases where we usually only provide legal advice include:
Consumer Law
- Collecting Money or Recovering Property for Clients
- Contract and Warranty Problems
- Credit Problems: Credit Billings, Credit Denial, Credit Reporting Errors
- Public Utilities
- Unfair and Deceptive Debt Collection and Sales Practices
Wills and Powers of Attorney
- Administration of Estates
- Estate Disputes
Employment Law
- Employee Benefits: Family & Medical Leave, Disability Benefits, Pensions
- Employment Discrimination
- Professional License Denial or Termination
- Public Employee Grievances
- Wage Claims: Non-payment of Wages
- Wage & Hour Claims: Violations of Minimum Wage & Overtime Law
Family Law
- Adoption
- Annulment
- Child Custody and Child Visitation
- Child Support
- Divorce Defense
- Fault-Based Divorce: Filing for Divorce on Fault Grounds
- Name Change
- Paternity
- Spousal Support and Equitable Distribution
- Termination of Parental Rights
Health Law
- Private Health Insurance
Housing Law
- Fair Housing and Housing Discrimination
- Landlord Problems: Abusive Access, Barring of Visitors, Landlord References
Public Benefits
- Social Security
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Veterans’ Affairs (VA) Benefits
Cases we refer to other providers include:
- Driver’s License Restoration
- Education
- Juvenile
- Immigration
- Post-Conviction Relief
- Prisoners and Incarcerated Persons
- Tax
- Workers’ Compensation
CVLAS does not handle every request for assistance, but never charges a fee for its services. CVLAS does not handle criminal, traffic, personal injury, malpractice, property damage or cases where a private a lawyer could obtain a fee from the other side or from recovery.
For more information, please read about the Virginia Farm Workers Program