How do I find a civil attorney who can help me with my non-criminal case needs, such as a lawsuit against my offender, or about housing, benefits, employment, etc.?

There are a number of ways to find a civil attorney with whom you can talk about a variety of your civil needs, including filing a lawsuit against your offender, seeking assistance with housing or public benefits, or dealing with employment difficulties.

• The National Crime Victim Bar Association provides victims referrals to civil attorneys specializing in victim-related litigation. The referral service can be reached at (800) FYI-CALL between 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.(EST) Monday through Friday. For more information about the National Bar Association click here.

• In each state there is a “bar association.” A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some of these associations are responsible for the regulation of the lawyers working within their jurisdiction; others are simply professional organizations dedicated to serving their members. Regardless of which type it is, most bar associations have a lawyer referral service that seeks to link people seeking legal assistance with lawyers and programs that may be able to assist. A directory of bar associations is available here.

• Legal Aid Services (Legal Aid) are nonprofit corporations that exist nationwide and provide free legal assistance to low income clients with non-criminal problems. The types of cases each Legal Aid office handles varies, but may include public benefits, housing problems, consumer cases, family law, and immigration. While there is a shortage of Legal Aid attorneys such that your local Legal Aid office may not be able to accept your case, they may be in a position to refer you to another private attorney who can help. A directory of pro bono legal aid programs is available here. Click on the "Pro Bono" link next to the appropriate state.

• Often local victim service agencies that deal with particular types of victimization will have a list of private attorneys willing and able to help victims deal with the civil ramifications of their victimization. Contacting a local victim service agency may provide you access to these attorneys. To find a list of victim service agencies click here.