Legal Services
Maine Resources
Pine Tree Legal Assistance: https://www.ptla.org/
Has excellent Client Education materials that are easy to understand.
KIDS Legal Aid of Maine: https://kidslegal.org/
A statewide project within Pine Tree Legal Assistance. It specializes in legal services that address the needs of low-income Maine children. Giving Maine's Children a Voice and a Chance.
HelpMELaw: http://www.helpmelaw.org/
Assists in finding people who may be able to help you with a specific legal problem and information about laws that affect you.
Legal Services for the Elderly: http://www.mainelse.org/
Provides free, high quality legal assistance to socially and economically needy Maine residents age 60 and older.
Maine Equal Justice Partners (MEJP): http://www.mejp.org
Works in the legislature, before administrative agencies and in the courts, providing legal and policy analysis, to give low-income Maine people an effective voice on issues they care about.
The Client Assistance Program (CAP): https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/914
A federally funded program that provides information, assistance and advocacy to people with disabilities who are applying for or receiving services under the Rehabilitation Act. Programs under this Act include Vocational Rehabilitation, Independent Living Services and Projects with Industry.
Disability Rights Center (DRC): https://drme.org/
Maine’s protection and advocacy agency for people with disabilities. It is a non-profit agency, independent of state and federal government.
Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP): http://www.vlp.org
Maine's Statewide Pro Bono Project. Ten years ago, in the Fall of 1983, the Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP) took its first phone call from a low-income citizen seeking legal services. Ten years after, more than 70,000 individuals have contacted the VLP for legal assistance. More than 13,000 of these individuals have been provided with the services of an attorney, an attorney they would not have acquired but for the existence of the Volunteer Lawyers Project.
Maine State Agency Rules- http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/rules/index.html
Maine Office of the Attorney General: http://www.state.me.us/ag/
The mission of the Office of the Attorney General is to use the law to protect and serve the people of Maine. This web site will provide you with access to our Office's services and information from other sources regarding your rights and responsibilities.
Maine Human Rights Commission: https://www.maine.gov/mhrc/
Their mission is to ensure equality of opportunity by vigorously enforcing laws prohibiting discrimination in employment, housing, education, public accommodations and credit.
Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library: https://legislature.maine.gov/lawlibrary/
Serves the public interest by providing legal and governmental information services.
Maine Constitution and Statutes: https://www.maine.gov/legis/const/
Disability Determination Services, Department of Human Services:
https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/ofi/programs-services/disability-determination
Comprised of Maine State workers who make disability decisions for the Social Security Administration. These decisions directly service the citizens of our state and bring approximately four hundred million dollars in benefits to disabled Maine citizens.
Consumer Law Guide: http://www.state.me.us/ag/consumer/consumer_law_guide.shtml
National Resources
Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law: http://www.bazelon.org/
A national legal advocate for people with mental disabilities. Through precedent-setting litigation and in the public policy arena, the Bazelon Center works to advance and preserve the rights of people with mental illnesses and developmental disabilities.
DeafAttorneys.Com: http://www.deafattorneys.com/WP/
A community of attorneys and law students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Our chief objective is to mentor and provide guidance and assistance to law students and new lawyers who are deaf and hard of hearing, so that they will be better equipped to deal with access, accommodation, and practice issues that confronted those who have gone before them.
DisabilityInfo.gov: http://www.disability.gov/
Devoted to bringing information on U.S. federal programs, services, and resources to Americans with disabilities and their families. Developed by the Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities, this "Access America" site includes sections on children and youth, self-employment, transportation, health choice and self-determination, employment, recreation and travel, civil rights and protections, college and adult education, housing, technology, income support, tax credits and deductions, emergency preparedness, and disability statistics. Each section includes a short overview of the resources available and links to authoritative information about them.
Equal Justice Library: http://www.equaljusticelibrary.org/
An online research resource for individuals who want to learn about the history of legal aid and indigent criminal defense, both in the United States and other countries.
FindLaw: Legal Services Resources: http://www.findlaw.com/14firms/legalaid.html
Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA): http://www.ptla.org/ada.htm
Rights to services and benefits from public agencies.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC): http://www.eeoc.gov/
Coordinates all federal equal employment opportunity regulations, practices, and policies. The Commission interprets employment discrimination laws, monitors the federal sector employment discrimination program, provides funding and support to state and local Fair Employment Practices Agencies (FEPAs), and sponsors outreach and technical assistance programs. Any individual who believes he or she has been discriminated against in employment may file an administrative charge with the EEOC.
Wrightslaw: http://www.wrightslaw.com
Parents, advocates, educators, and attorneys come to Wrightslaw for accurate, up-to-date information about effective advocacy for children with disabilities.