Vermont Legal Aid, Legal Services Vermont and other civil legal services organizations help people with “civil legal matters.” Civil legal matters are lawsuits and other legal issues that aren’t about crimes.
For example, civil legal matters include most landlord/tenant and family court issues, bankruptcy, credit cards, unlawful discrimination, Reach Up and SSI benefits cases and similar issues.
On the other hand, Public Defenders and other legal services organizations represent people in criminal cases – when the government has accused a person of committing a crime.
Please note: We can't help you with traffic violations. We can’t help you with most personal injury cases and real estate law. We also can't defend you in a criminal case. (However, we can help if you need legal help due to being a victim of crime.)
Are you a victim of crime?
If you have a legal problem due to being a victim of crime or abuse, visit our Legal Help for Victims of Crime page to see how we can help.