Disaster Legal Hotline Available to Help Texans Affected By Flooding

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 18 -- The State Bar of Texas issued the following news release:

The State Bar of Texas reminds residents that a toll-free legal hotline--(800) 504-7030--is available to connect people with local legal aid providers following disasters such as the recent flooding in Central and South Texas.

The hotline--answered in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese--is designed to connect low-income people with legal aid providers in their area who can help with such issues as replacing lost documents, insurance questions, landlord-tenant problems, and consumer protection concerns such as price-gouging and avoiding contractor scams during the rebuilding process.

Callers are routed to their local legal aid provider or can choose to leave a message. People who qualify for assistance will be matched with Texas lawyers who have volunteered to provide free, limited legal help.

Individuals who qualify also may use texaslegalanswers.org--an online legal advice clinic where individuals can post their civil legal questions and have them answered online by volunteer attorneys. The State Bar of Texas operates Texas Legal Answers in conjunction with the American Bar Association.

Additional resources are available at texasbar.com/disasters and texaslawhelp.org.

The State Bar of Texas reminds the public that in many cases it is a crime in Texas for a lawyer or someone representing a lawyer to contact a person for purposes of legal representation if the person has not first requested the call or personal visit. The contact is not illegal if the attorney is not seeking payment or has a preexisting professional-client or family relationship with the person being contacted.

If you witness something you believe to be improper solicitation, or barratry, please get the name and phone number of the person making contact and report it to your local law enforcement authority or the State Bar Chief Disciplinary Counsel's Office toll free at (866) 224-5999.