Community Legal Services of Prince George's County

Community Legal Services of Prince George's County, Inc. is a nonprofit organization established to provide quality civil legal services to low-income residents of Prince George's County, Maryland. It operates under the Internal Revenue Code as a tax-exempt charitable organization. The organization’s mission is to educate, represent, and empower low-income members of the community regarding civil legal matters.

Founding and History

Founded in 1985, Community Legal Services (CLS) initially functioned as a referral organization that matched residents of Prince George's County with attorneys offering free legal advice. Over time, it has expanded its services to include operating several walk-in clinics across the county.

Services

CLS provides a range of legal services, including brief legal advice, free or reduced fee legal representation, and legal education. These services are offered in cases involving:

• Divorce
• Custody
• Child Support
• Visitation
• Domestic Violence
• Guardianship
• Unpaid Wages
• Foreclosure
• Bankruptcy
• Expungement
• Landlord/Tenant Disputes
• Wills, Estates, Probate

CLS also offers direct representation for survivors of domestic violence and provides same-day representation to tenants in failure-to-pay rent cases. The organization conducts public seminars on topics such as foreclosure prevention, expungement, wills, powers of attorney, and domestic violence protection.

Programs

CLS operates through a Lawyer Referral Program, where clients are screened for income eligibility and case priority. An application fee is charged, but waivers are available for those under the Federal Poverty Guidelines. The organization uses the Language Line for services in multiple languages, with staff providing services in Spanish.

Ethnic Groups Served

CLS serves diverse ethnic groups, including African American, Asian American, Caucasian, Latino/Hispanic, Native American, and others.

Financials and Support

The organization relies on grants, donations, and support from the legal and business communities. In recent years, CLS has assisted in over 10,000 cases, highlighting a significant need for its services in the community.

Governance and Leadership

The leadership of CLS includes a board of directors with members from various legal and judicial backgrounds. The board conducts regular assessments and orientations to ensure effective governance.

Impact

Community Legal Services of Prince George's County plays a critical role in ensuring access to justice for low-income individuals in the region, addressing the gap in legal services for those who cannot afford them.