Law help: Legal research assistance and legal aid

Drawing of Lady Justice in front of an American flag.
Life is full of law questions. Whether you are researching laws or looking for legal help, we can suggest some excellent resources to help you out.

First, a caveat: It is against state law for library staff members to engage in any conduct that might constitute the unauthorized practice of law; we may not interpret statutes, cases or regulations, perform legal research, recommend or assist in the preparation of forms, or advise patrons regarding their legal rights.

The following is not a comprehensive list, but it will help you get started. (Check out COVID-19 section at the bottom for resources specific to the pandemic.) If you have questions or need research suggestions, contact us anytime!

Free & reduced-cost legal help:

The Community Legal & Educational Access & Referral Clinic provides free assistance with criminal record and eviction expungements, DACA applications and renewals, housing and immigration court navigation, legal name and gender-marker changes, and more.  Walk-in help is also available: 
DACA Renewals and Immigration Legal Screenings: Tuesdays 12 to 4pm
Expungements: Fridays 12 to 4pm
 
Legal Aid Services of Oregon
A statewide non-profit organization that provides access to legal help for people to protect their livelihoods, their health, and their families.
 
The OSB Lawyer Referral Service can refer you to a lawyer who may be able to assist you with your legal matter.
 
Oregon State Bar Modest Means program
An OSB program to help moderate-income Oregonians find affordable legal assistance.
 
A nonprofit law firm that offers sliding-scale legal services.

Legal advocacy and assistance for:

Artists
Consumers
Crime victims
Families
Immigrants and refugees
Inmates
LGBTQ+ community
Military service members and their dependents
Native American community
People with disabilities
Renters
Russian community
Seniors
Teens
Veterans
Workers

Legal research and forms:

General legal information on a variety of topics, provided as a public service by Oregon's lawyers. 
 
The codified laws of the state of Oregon, including the Vehicle Code. Use this site to see the exact text of a law, like the one(s) cited on your traffic ticket.
 
Free legal information for low-income Oregonians.
 
Links to resources for users who want to learn more about the law and courts or want to represent themselves in a legal matter.
 
One-on-one help, legal research tools, classes and instructions for litigants so that they can meaningfully participate in the court process. Free to all self-represented parties, regardless of income. This is the County "law library" available to non-lawyers; the Multnomah Law Library is now only open to members of the Oregon State Bar.  The Washington County Law Library is open to the public and has many great resources online and in person.
 
Promoting justice by providing all Oregonians with access to legal information and legal research assistance.
 
Forms, court records, and information about going to court.
 
Free online access to court calendars and basic case information for the Oregon circuit courts and the Oregon Tax Court.
 
A legal research tool that lets you search sources of law from Oregon, the U.S. Government and many other western states.  Includes the United States Code, United States Supreme Court and Court of Appeals Cases; and cases, statutes, regulations, court rules, constitutions, attorney general opinions, and session laws for Oregon, Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Washington. As of March 2022, you'll need to create a user account to access this site.
 
Provides online access to briefs and opinions of the Oregon Supreme and Appellate Courts, legal research guides, and in-person and virtual legal reference services.  Also provides access to Ebooks from Nolo Press on self-help law in the Legal Information Reference Center; as of March 2022, you'll need to create a user account with the State Law Library to access these titles.
 
Information and forms from the federal Judiciary.
 
Includes legislative information and a Guide to Law Online.
 
Learn about your rights as a person living in the United States of America.
 
Find out how to file a complaint or appeal a decision related to health information privacy, civil rights, Medicare, and more.
 

COVID-19 related law help*

Renters

Oregon’s statewide eviction moratorium expired on June 30, 2021 and is no longer active. But help is available -- even if you receive an eviction notice. Two new laws, Senate Bill 282 and Senate Bill 278, provide important protections to help tenants. Renters are protected from nonpayment evictions if they apply for rent assistance and provide documentation of their application to their landlords. You have the right to all of these protections regardless of your citizenship status.

If you or your household receive an eviction notice for nonpayment of rent, contact 211info immediately to learn about rapid-payment rent assistance that may help you avoid eviction. Call 2.1.1 or 866.698.6155, text your zip code to 898211, or email help@211info.org. You might also be able to get free legal help from the following:

Eviction Defense Project from Oregon Law Center. Call 888.585.9638 or email evictiondefense@oregonlawcenter.org.

Community Law Eviction Protection Program. Call 211 for a legal referral.

Tenant Eviction Defense from The Commons Law Center. Text or call 503.850.0811 or connect through their website.

If you are unsure of your legal rights, you can also contact the Community Alliance of Tenants Renters Rights Hotline at 503.288.0130. They are available Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays 1-5 pm, and Tuesdays 6-8 pm.

The most up-to-date information for renters can be found on 211info’s Multnomah County Rent Relief page.

Homeowners and landlords

The foreclosure moratorium in Oregon  expired in 2021. The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation has a list of step-by-step instructions to handle mortgage issues caused by COVID-19. The Oregon Foreclosure Avoidance Program can also help you avoid foreclosure, even in non-pandemic times.

Applications for the Landlord Compensation Fund have closed. Landlords with questions about in-process tenant applications should see the Landlord Guarantee Program page for more information.

Workers and employees

Oregon OSHA handles complaints on COVID-19 related requirements (such as masking in health-care settings). If you need to report hazards at a worksite, or believe you have been discriminated against on the basis of safety and health issues, you can file a complaint online or call 503.229.5910.

The Oregon Bureau of Labor & Industries has information on the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers regarding sick leave, quarantine, vaccinations and more. For more information, call 971-673-0761, email help@boli.state.or.us, or file a complaint online.

If you lost income during the pandemic, you may qualify for unemployment benefits. Contact the Oregon Employment Department for assistance by calling 833-410-1004 or filling out their contact form online.  

If you are a restaurant worker whose life has been affected by the pandemic, check out this list of resources for restaurant workers compiled by the Restaurant Workers' Community Foundation.

Immigrants and Refugees

The Oregon Attorney General has compiled a list of COVID-19 resources for immigrants and refugees. Protecting Immigrant Families has an overview of some of the federal public programs available to support immigrants and their families during the COVID-19 crisis. Call the Oregon Public Benefits Hotline at 800.520.5292 for legal advice and representation in regard to problems with government benefits.

If you have lost your job but are ineligible for Unemployment Insurance and federal stimulus relief due to your immigration status, the Oregon Worker Relief Fund may be able to help. Call 888.274.7292 to apply for a one-time temporary disaster relief.
 
Here is a list of low cost legal resources for immigrants in the Portland Metro area.

Consumers

Beware of scams related to COVID-19! Both the Oregon Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission have lists of common scams and frauds and how to avoid them. If you have a complaint about an Oregon-based business or charity, file a complaint online or call the Oregon Attorney General’s Consumer Hotline at 1.877.877.9392. If you want to report fraud or scam from a business or charity based outside of Oregon (or if you aren’t sure of the location), notify the Federal Trade Commission.

This guide originally researched and authored by Joanna Milner. Links checked and updated by Lara P. on 3/9/22 *COVID-19 section checked and updated 1/23/23
Library Staff | пт, авг 13, 2021
local interest, immigrants and citizenship, mcl blogs