There is no charge for NJP services.

NJP’s legal services are funded primarily through government grants and contracts, including support from the Legal Services Corporation and the Washington State Office of Civil Legal Aid (OCLA), as well as private grants and contributions.

In some court cases, clients may be responsible for certain case-related expenses, such as filing fees or other litigation costs. NJP will discuss any potential costs with a client before those expenses are incurred.

Northwest Justice Project works with legal aid organizations across Washington State to help connect people with legal information and services. 

Depending on your legal issue, location, eligibility, and the resources available at the time, you may be connected with NJP or another organization that may be able to help. Different organizations focus on different legal issues, communities, and geographic areas. 

To learn more about legal aid organizations serving Washington State, visit the Washington Law Help Legal Directory, which includes legal aid providers, volunteer lawyer programs, and other legal resources.

Please note that each organization has its own eligibility requirements, case priorities, and available resources. Being referred to an organization does not guarantee that it will be able to assist with your case.

We help people with low incomes facing civil (non-criminal) legal problems. If your issue is outside the types of cases we handle, these resources may be able to help:

• Criminal charges or public defense services: Contact the court where your case is filed or your local public defender’s office or visit the Washington State Office of Public Defense for a directory.
• Personal injury or car accident claims: Contact your local bar association lawyer referral service.
• Immigration matters: Visit the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project or another immigration legal services provider.
• Business or commercial disputes: Contact your local bar association lawyer referral service.

If you’re not sure whether we can help with your legal issue, try calling CLEAR or 211. We can often provide information about other organizations and resources that may be available.

Please keep trying.

CLEAR receives more calls than we are able to answer immediately. When all staff are helping other callers and more callers are waiting on hold, the phone system may not be able to place additional callers in the queue. When the queue is full, callers may hear a message that no additional calls can be accepted at that time. This does not mean you are ineligible for services or that your case has been denied. It only means that the queue has reached capacity for the moment.

Call volume changes throughout the day and from day to day. If you cannot get through, we encourage you to continue trying. Many people are able to reach us by trying again later the same day or on another day. If you are unable to get through on your first attempt, we encourage you to keep calling.

You can also visit Washington Law Help for free legal information, self-help materials, and court forms while you continue trying to reach us.

If you have a court date, hearing, deadline, or other urgent situation, call one of our intake lines as soon as possible.

We cannot guarantee immediate assistance, but reaching out early gives us more time to identify resources or services that may be available. If you are experiencing an emergency involving immediate danger or safety concerns, call 911 or another appropriate emergency service.

Sometimes.

We prefer to speak directly with the person who has the legal problem whenever possible. If you are helping someone else, we may need additional information or permission before discussing their case. In some situations, we may need to speak directly with the person seeking help.

Yes. Anyone can apply for legal help, regardless of immigration status. 

Some legal aid programs have funding or legal restrictions that limit who they can serve. Many programs do not have these restrictions. If a particular program cannot assist you, we will try to connect you with other available resources when possible. 

The information you share with us is confidential. We will not share your personally identifying information from your application to anyone without your permission.

Many legal aid programs serve people with low incomes, but eligibility rules vary depending on the type of legal problem and the services available. Some programs have special eligibility rules for older adults, veterans, people facing foreclosure or eviction, survivors of crime, and others.

Because eligibility can be complex, we encourage you to contact us even if you are unsure whether you qualify. We can help determine what services or resources may be available.

Many legal aid programs are required to serve people with low incomes. We ask questions about income and household size to determine eligibility for services and to connect you with the resources that may be available to you.

Lawyers have ethical obligations to avoid conflicts of interest. We ask for information about the people, businesses, or agencies involved in your legal issue to make sure we can assist you and to identify any conflicts that might prevent us from providing services.

The first step is usually a screening process. Screening helps us understand your legal issue, determine eligibility, identify any conflicts of interest, and connect you with the most appropriate resources. This allows limited legal aid resources to be used as effectively as possible while helping as many people as we can.

No.

An intake or application is a request for help. It allows us to review your situation and look for resources, but it does not create an attorney-client relationship or guarantee advice, a referral, or representation.

You remain responsible for court dates, deadlines, and other steps needed to protect your rights.

Maybe.

Some people who contact NJP receive representation from a lawyer, while others receive self-help resources, referrals, legal advice, or other assistance.

The services available depend on many factors, including the legal issue, eligibility, and available resources. Because legal aid programs receive far more requests than they can accept, not everyone who qualifies will be offered representation.

NJP’s Board of Directors establishes broad service priorities, and individual programs and offices may have additional priorities based on funding requirements, local needs, and available staffing.