2/7/2012
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Civil Law Self-Help Center Offers Free Sessions on Foreclosure
Those facing foreclosure can get free help from a couple of sources: free Ask-a-Lawyer sessions held on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month and a free two-hour foreclosure mediation class held every Thursday.
Ask-a-Lawyer sessions held on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month, give those facing foreclosure the opportunity to pose questions to volunteer attorneys. Upcoming sessions will be held will be Feb. 14 and Feb. 28 from 9 a.m. until noon, at the Civil Law Self-Help Center located in the Regional Justice Center, 200 Lewis Ave. The sessions run in 30-minute increments until noon. Signup for the 30-minute, one-on-one sessions begins at 8 a.m. on the day of the sessions.
“The Ask-a-Lawyer program is a great way for people with limited financial means to get access to a lawyer to help them navigate the challenging process of foreclosure and take advantage of the foreclosure mediation program,” said District Court Presiding Civil Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez. “We’re doing what we can to get those who are struggling help and to get the word out on what is available.”
Another resource is a free two-hour foreclosure mediation class, held every Thursday from 5:30-7:30 p.m., that offers the basics on how to be prepared for mediation. Classes are sponsored by Legal Aid Center and the UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law and held at the law school at 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy. A class will be held this week on Thursday, Feb. 9.
“Going through foreclosure is a difficult process both emotionally and administratively. The class offers tips on how to approach the daunting process and outlines some options that are available,” said Barbara Buckley, executive director of Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada. “Homeowners who have received a Notice of Default may avoid some pitfalls by attending the class or meeting with an attorney at an Ask-a-Lawyer session.”
In partnership with the Clark County Courts, the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada and the Clark County Neighborhood Justice Center, the Civil Law Self-Help Center was opened to provide assistance to those representing themselves in the Clark County courts. A supervising attorney and four paralegals answer general questions about court procedures and practices, and assist litigants with completing legal forms available at the center. Case status information, contact information for the state bar lawyer referral service, legal aid programs and other law related community services are also available.
Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada is a private, non-profit, charitable organization dedicated to providing free community legal services to those in need. For more information on the foreclosure mediation class, visit www.Lacsn.org.
The Civil Law Self-Help Center located at 200 Lewis Ave., is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Visit their website at www.clarkcountycourts.us/self-help.html.