Provides legal services in certain civil matters including landlord/tenant, domestic relations, public benefits, and consumer law. No criminal law services. Assists low-income taxpayers by providing free tax preparation clinics during tax season. Represents and provides referrals to taxpayers with appeals and are involved in direct controversies with the IRS.

DNA - People's Legal Services - Chinle | DNA - People's Legal Services - Chinle

Programs that provide assistance for people who have cases involving violations of federal and state statutes governing sales and credit practices involving consumer goods, in situations where appeals to consumer complaints organizations have not resolved the issue. Consumer law cases involve deceptive or unconscionable advertising and sales practices, product quality, credit financing and reporting, debt collection, leases, and other aspects of consumer transactions.

Consumer Law

Programs that provide assistance for prospective or current public financial assistance recipients who are having difficulty understanding and/or obtaining the full benefits to which they are entitled by law under various income support entitlement programs. The programs may help people understand the eligibility criteria for benefits, how much they can work without affecting their benefits (for some programs), the benefits provided by the program, the payment process and the rights of beneficiaries; provide consultation and advice; help them complete benefits application forms; negotiate on their behalf with public assistance benefits staff; and/or represent them in administrative hearings or judicial litigation. Included are welfare rights organizations that offer a range of advocacy services as well as legal aid programs that offer more formalized legal assistance. Entitlement programs include (but are not limited to) General Relief (GR), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Food Stamps/SNAP, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

Welfare Rights Assistance

Programs outside the AARP and VITA networks that provide tax preparation services for people who meet income and/or other eligibility criteria. The programs are staffed by agency personnel or trained volunteers and may be available during tax season or throughout the year. Services may include assistance in completing federal and state income tax returns, assistance with claiming federal and state EITC and other tax benefits available to low-income taxpayers, correction of prior year returns and resolution of problems with the IRS, and/or access to volunteers who can provide tax advice, planning and counseling.

Privately Operated Tax Assistance Programs

Programs that provide assistance for people who want to obtain custody of their children as a part of a divorce or separation action, who want to appeal all or a portion of the terms of a previous child custody decision, or in the case of a noncustodial parent, who want to establish or appeal the terms of a visitation award or a court-ordered visitation schedule. Included are programs that provide child custody/visitation assistance for people who are not legally married but have children together.

Child Custody/Visitation Assistance

Law schools, business schools and/or 501(c) nonprofit organizations that have been funded by the IRS to provide pro bono representation and/or representation referrals for low income taxpayers in federal tax disputes and/or education and outreach to taxpayers for whom English is a second language. Services may include interviewing and counseling clients regarding their tax situation, preparing cases for appeal conferences, representing taxpayers at those conferences, preparing written offers and compromises, negotiating settlements and, in some cases, preparing tax return forms for non-filers and foreign taxpayers.

LITC Programs

Programs that provide assistance for grandparents who feel that their visitation and custody rights with regard to their grandchildren have been violated. Also included are organizations that provide information about the rights of grandparents and/or referrals for grandparents who need to locate a lawyer who has expertise in this area, or other legal resources.

Grandparent Rights

Programs that provide legal counseling and/or representation for low-income individuals who need assistance in routine legal matters, usually in the area of bankruptcy, housing, public benefits, family law, elder law or immigration/naturalization.

General Legal Aid

Programs that help tenants and landlords resolve disputes regarding security and other rental deposits, unsanitary conditions, failure to make repairs, privacy, notice requirements, excessive rent increases, nonpayment of rent, neglect or damage to property, overcrowding or other grievances.

Landlord/Tenant Dispute Resolution

Programs that provide assistance for people who are being evicted from their apartments or other rental property either wrongfully or with reason, e.g. nonpayment of rent. Included are programs that provide legal support in the form of information on tenants' rights, help to navigate the eviction process, and/or mediation services to negotiate a compromise between the individual and the landlord. Eviction prevention programs can also provide a Housing First approach and include various strategies designed to maintain individuals and families in their current housing, such as rent payment assistance, financial assistance with the cost of utilities, assistance securing other types of income support, third-party money management programs, and referrals to other types of community support.

Eviction Prevention Assistance

Programs that help people file appeals with the appropriate tax authorities and/or represent them in appeals hearings in situations where they disagree with a decision by a tax examiner regarding the assessment of business taxes, personal income taxes, bank and corporate taxes, sales taxes, property taxes or other taxes, their eligibility for special tax credits or exemptions, or the administration of tax rebate programs.