Legal Aid in Tucson: Where to Get Free or Low-Cost Legal Help

If you live in Tucson and can’t afford a private lawyer, you have options. Nonprofit legal-aid groups, volunteer-lawyer programs, and law-school clinics help low-income Pima County residents with civil legal issues like housing, family law, benefits, and debt. This guide shows where to turn fast, what they cover, and how to prepare when you call.

Major Legal Aid Organizations in Tucson

Southern Arizona Legal Aid (SALA) — Tucson

• Who they help: Low-income individuals and families across Southern & Southeastern Arizona, including Pima County. SALA overview (mission & service area). Phones: 520-623-9461 or 1-800-248-6789. Contact / apply.
• What cases they take: Civil issues such as housing/eviction, tenant-landlord disputes, consumer/debt, public benefits, family law & safety, elder law, and more. Services.

Step Up to Justice (SU2J) — Pima County

• Who they help: Free civil legal help for eligible low-income residents of Pima County; powered by volunteer attorneys. About • AZ Courts blurb.
• What they handle: Common basic-needs civil matters (e.g., housing, family, consumer, benefits). Hours/location.
• How to contact: 320 N. Commerce Park Loop, Suite 100, Tucson, AZ 85745. Use the intake link on their site; general inquiries via the contact page.

Volunteer Lawyers Program (VLP) — Southern Arizona

• What it is: A SALA-run pro bono network that recruits private attorneys to provide free legal help (family, consumer, housing, guardianship, bankruptcy, benefits, wills, employment). Overview.
• Notes: Services depend on volunteer availability; some matters receive brief advice or clinic help rather than full representation. Public-facing info also referenced by AZ State Library. FAQ.

Free or Low-Cost Clinics & Hotlines in Tucson

• Arizona Free Legal Answers (ABA) — Online civil-law advice for eligible Arizonans; ask a question and a volunteer lawyer replies by email. az.freelegalanswers.org.
• Pima County forms & self-help — Court forms (including evictions, small claims, protective orders) and general court forms. Forms hub • Court forms.
• Statewide Self-Service Center — Arizona Judicial Branch forms & instructions. azcourts.gov/selfservicecenter.
• City/County eviction resources — Tenant info and connections to Pima County Emergency Eviction Legal Services and related hotlines: City landlord-tenant resources • Tucson Eviction Help (520-724-7334).
• University of Arizona Law Clinics — Multiple civil-focused clinics (e.g., Domestic Violence, Child & Family, Immigration). Clinic line: 520-626-5232. Clinical programs • Child & Family Law Clinic.

What Legal Aid in Tucson Usually Doesn’t Handle

• Criminal defense — SALA, SU2J and similar providers focus on civil issues, not criminal cases.
• Complex/high-value business litigation — Programs are aimed at individuals and families, not large commercial disputes.
• Capacity limits — Even if you qualify, you may receive advice or form help instead of full representation, depending on resources and urgency.

Emergency & Urgent Legal Help

If you’re facing eviction, loss of housing, unsafe conditions, sudden benefit loss, or safety-related family issues, act quickly:

• Call SALA — Housing/eviction, tenant disputes, benefits, family-safety civil matters. 520-623-9461 / 1-800-248-6789. How to apply.
• Contact Step Up to Justice — Intake for urgent civil-needs in Pima County (free, non-criminal). Program.
• Use Tucson/Pima eviction resources — City landlord-tenant hub and Tucson Eviction Help (520-724-7334) can connect you to legal and homelessness-prevention services. City page • Tucson Eviction Help.
• Ask a quick question online — Arizona Free Legal Answers for short civil-law advice while you wait for intake.

How to Prepare Before You Call

• Proof of income/benefits and household info (who lives with you). SALA intake.
• Issue documents — lease and any eviction/landlord notices; photos of unsafe conditions; benefit-denial letters; debt/collection letters; court or agency papers.
• Deadlines — court dates, eviction/shut-off dates; bring these up when you call.
• Clear summary — what happened, when, who’s involved, and the help you need.

Alternatives If You Don’t Qualify

• Lawyer referral & modest-means options — Pima County Bar Association offers a paid lawyer-referral service (typical 30-minute consult). AZCourtHelp – PCBA listing.
• Self-help forms — Use Pima County and statewide form libraries to proceed pro se when appropriate. Pima court forms • AZ Self-Service Center.
• University of Arizona law-school clinics — Limited-capacity, semester-based help in specific civil areas; call 520-626-5232. Clinic directory.

Key Takeaways

• Tucson’s core civil-legal providers are SALA and Step Up to Justice, with added support from the Volunteer Lawyers Program and UA law clinics.
• Emergency issues (eviction, unsafe housing, benefit cuts, domestic-violence-related civil needs) are often prioritized — call early and have documents ready.
• If you don’t qualify for full representation, use Arizona Free Legal Answers, PCBA referrals, and court self-help forms to keep moving.