West TN Legal Services Overview
West TN Legal Services is the historical name of West Tennessee Legal Services, Inc. which is a nonprofit law firm that serves the legal needs of impoverished persons in 16 counties in West Tennessee. The primary counties are: Chester, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Hardeman, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Lake, Lauderdale, Madison, McNair, Tipton, Trousdale, Wayne; and some services are provided to Benton-Hickman, Benton-Perry, Benton-Perry-Pickett and Benton-Perry-Warren counties. The mission of the legal services program became broader than just legal aid with the founding in 1983 of the non-profit West Tennessee Legal Services Board of Directors, Inc. which incorporated the Tennessee Valley Legal Services, Inc. as a separate Tennessee Non-Profit Corporation .
Background: Numerous small law offices were started by the late George H. Hinds, and he also developed the organization into a big enough entity to be more efficient and effective, and presented it the responsibility of SLLS to consolidate. We handle a little over 15,000 cases per year and have a staff of over 80.
Philosophy Of Service: WTLS aims to provide quality legal help to individuals who cannot afford it otherwise, in all areas of the law that affect their families significance and future, with a commitment to quality and responsive service. WTLS advocates for equal justice for the underserved, and empowers and educates our clients about their rights and responsibilities while being respectful of their dignity.
Types of Legal Services Available
Throughout its history, West TN Legal Services has focused significantly on the immediate and critical needs of low-income members of the community. Legal aid attorneys help with these urgent issues that impact the basic essential needs of life. Examples include domestic violence, eviction, homelessness, starvation, utility shut offs, domestic abuse, slave labor, violence or threats of violence, financial exploitation, predatory lending or high-pressure sales tactics that result in severe debt, or criminal charges for minor infractions.
We provide extended representation in many cases through our core programs. Our Legal and Immigration program provides services to refugees and lawful permanent residents in English and Arabic. West TN Legal Services seeks to assist legal immigrants by providing affordable legal services for clients who qualify based on their income and other non-financial factors, such as age, illness, or disability. Additional focus areas are the Protection of Abused Children, Domestic Violence Prevention in Family Issues, Housing, Consumer Matters, Landlord-Tenant Issues, Elder Law, Employment Law, Veterans, Social Security, Managed Care and Planning for People with Disabilities, Heath Insurance and Medical Bills, and Bankruptcy.
Specialized programs include Disaster Legal Services (in coordination with FEMA) and SNAP Outreach and Advocacy regarding TennCare. Modified programs include frequent client clinics located at the Madison County Juvenile Court and with the Madison County Healthcare Center.
Who Qualifies for Legal Services?
Prior to receiving an appointment, all individuals who contact West TN Legal Services and are seeking to be represented must qualify financially. In general, they must not exceed the income restrictions and their case must fall within the types of cases WTLS handles.
The types of cases that West TN Legal Services will accept are: wills and trusts; divorce, child custody and support; guardianships; workers compensation; tenant rights; mortgages; consumer fraud; debt collection; predatory lending; bankruptcy and debtors rights; predatory lending; and services for victims of domestic violence.
For a private attorney to take a case, the eligibility criteria is as follows: The applicant may have assets totaling $2,000 or less, excluding residence and one vehicle. The monthly gross income cannot be more than $1,600. The monthly disposable income per person must not exceed $350. For a family of two, it is $400 and family of three is $450. Every person in the household must be accounted for the disposable monthly income. This disposable monthly income excludes rent, utilities and any bills necessary to maintain your home.
West TN Legal Services will not provide aid for: felonies and misdemeanors; professional law matters and appeals; case involving an attorney; property damage, or breach of contract cases; land title matters; and challenges to the Constitution.
How to Obtain Services
Our intake process is administered by the individual legal service providers. Each organization has its own application process. You can see your options here, but if you are interested in a service provided by another provider, contact them about their intake process.
Written applications (and sometimes interviews) are required for all forms of legal aid. In addition to proof of income and a household information form, many agencies require a more specific legal problem intake form. Documents needed will possibly include: Additional documentation required for an income-based program may include tax returns, W-2s, proof of disability, or proof of support. For public services programs, additional eligibility documentation may include proof of age, Social Security number, or application forms from a governmental agency.
While some agencies do not have deadlines, grant-funded applications for legal assistance cannot be completed after the turn of the year in which funding is applied for. Some programs are required to end during certain times of the year. Be sure to check individual agencies for deadlines for your application.
Results and Client Testimonials
Service is truly #1 at the Kane Law Firm. I went through the divorce process with them after 18 years of marriage and a clean, non-confrontational situation was desired by both parties. Blake was my lawyer and he is an outstanding person. Blake was extremely helpful with guiding me through the process and anticipating possible issues that may arise. He was prompt and consistent with responding to any and all of my questions. I thought the process would be stressful and full of surprises, but the Kane Law Firm made it easier to get through. I highly recommend Kane Law Firm for any legal matters.
Charles Kern, Client
I needed to change my rear name back to my maiden name, and did not want it to take long at all. Although this was a very simple matter, I had no idea how long the process could be, how much money it could cost, and how difficult it would be to find someone to help me with it . The local firms I called refused to do such a simple matter, or quoted me fees that were thousands of dollars. On a whim, I typed in the search engine "name change lawyers", and found Kane Law Group. Close by and affordable, they took care of everything for me. Kelly handled everything very efficiently and economically. I could not have been happier with the level of professionalism and speed with which the professionals at Kane law handled my simple matter.
Angela, Client
I recently had the Kane Law Firm create a Will for me. I felt confident that they had my best interest in mind. They were caring and provided valuable information and insight, taking time to address all my questions and concerns. I would absolutely recommend Kane Law Firm to handle any legal needs.
Cindy Wiggins, Client
Community Engagement and Collaborations
West TN Legal Services values collaboration with other organizations as an essential component of its mission. Those entities include general non-profits, legal aid organizations, and pro bono volunteer lawyers. For instance, in addition to leveraging whatever grants are available and partnerships with various government entities to help expand its reach, WTLS collaborates with other legal aid organizations to avoid unnecessary redundancy and improve service delivery. When two or more legal aid organizations provide the same services, they do not compete for grant funding but instead work together to maximize their ability to provide free civil legal assistance to low-income people. Access to Justice is a statewide network of the 15 legal services programs in Tennessee, including West Tennessee Legal Services, created to provide a unified voice for all Tennesseans living in poverty. Its mission is to ensure that all Tennesseans have access to the actual and ideal justice they need, not just legally, but socially, because the largest part of justice exists outside of the courtroom. Access to Justice is a catalyst for promoting stable funds for Civil Legal Aid throughout Tennessee. Access to Justice coordinates innovative partnerships between legal services organizations, the judiciary, the administrative office of courts, the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Service, the TBA, TN Bar Foundation, and others to provide a comprehensive response to the unmet civil legal needs of low-income Tennesseans. The focus is on creating a statewide infrastructure of equal access to justice that assures fair solutions to legal problems by empowering vulnerable communities with the capacity to identify needs, collaborate and develop comprehensive and consistent responses to those needs. Access to Justice coordinates and provides support for large-scale collaborative projects designed to improve and expand the availability and accessibility of civil legal services for the poor in Tennessee. These collaborative initiatives are designed to efficiently allocate limited resources throughout the state to extend the delivery of legal aid services and enhance the quality of those services. This includes: (1) expanding by creating collaborative statewide allocations to expand services to self-represented litigants; and (2) serving the needs of the most underserved communities, including the homeless, immigrant, and rural communities.
Contact Details and Locations
West TN Legal Services is easy to reach at its five different locations around West Tennessee. In addition to its main office in Jackson, lawyers and other staff members can be found at offices in Camden, Dyer County, Obion County, and Haywood County. You can call West TN Legal Services at 731-423-0616 to speak with someone in an office close to you who answers the phone. You can also fill out the contact form on the organization’s website and someone will get back to you within 24 business hours to discuss your case. Like many law offices , West TN Legal Services is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, although other hours can be arranged as necessary. Clients will be able to contact an attorney outside of these standard business hours in case of an emergency, but only for matters that require immediate attention. The physical addresses of the offices are: