If you want to have a lawyer represent you but you cannot afford one, you may contact Florida Legal Services at (407) 801-4350. Its staff can explain the options for obtaining legal services for free or at a reduced rate. The Florida Bar also has a lawyer referral service you may contact at (800) 342-8011 or https://lrs.floridabar.org/. Referral services do not guarantee a lawyer for you; they will merely try to refer you to lawyers who may consider — in their discretion and under their terms — serving as your lawyer.
Depending on where you live, you might also consider contacting one of the following referral services or legal-aid organizations. Some of the organizations offer free legal help, free clinics in various subjects, and ask-a-lawyer events. If you do not see your area, you can go to www.lsc.gov and enter your county, and it will provide a list of services or organizations in your area.
This court is not affiliated with any of these services or organizations and merely provides them as a possible source of help for you. This list is not exhaustive; there might be other organizations that can help you.
Fort Myers
Lee County Legal Aid Society(239) 334-6118
www.leecountylegalaid.org
Florida Rural Legal Service Inc.
(239) 334-4554
(800) 277-7680
(888) 582-3410
www.frls.org
Jacksonville
Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc.(904) 356-8371
(866) 356-8371
www.jaxlegalaid.org
Jacksonville Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service
(904) 399-5780
www.jaxbar.org/page/LawyerReferralServ
Three Rivers Legal Services, Inc.
(866) 256-8091
www.trls.org
Ocala
Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida(352) 629-0105
https://clsmf.org
Orlando
Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida(407) 841-7777
https://clsmf.org
Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association
(407) 841-8310
www.legalaidocba.org
Orange County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service
(949) 440-6747
(877) 257-4762
www.lrisoc.org
Tampa
Bay Area Legal Services, Inc.(813) 232-1343
(800) 625-2257
www.bals.org
Gulfcoast Legal Services
(941) 746-6151 (Bradenton)
(727) 821-0726 (St. Petersburg)
(727) 443-0657 (Clearwater)
(941) 366-1746 (Sarasota)
www.gulfcoastlegal.org
St. Michael’s Legal Center
(813) 289-5385
www.stmichaelslegalcenter.com/seeking-assistance
Hillsborough County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service
(813) 221-7777
https://hillsbarlrs.com You can also move the court to ask a lawyer to represent you. But unlike in a criminal matter, you do not have a right to counsel in a civil action. Asking a lawyer to represent you is reserved for extraordinary circumstances, and a lawyer can say no.
