Legal Aid in Concord, CA: Where to Get Help If You Can’t Afford a Lawyer

If you live in Concord and need civil-legal help but can’t afford a private attorney — you still have access to several nonprofit and public-service providers serving Contra Costa County. These organizations may help with tenant or housing disputes, evictions, family law, elder-law, consumer/debt issues, public benefits, domestic violence, and other civil-law matters. If no regular program can take your case, there are referral, self-help, and low-cost options to consider.

Major Legal Aid & Pro Bono Providers Serving Concord & Contra Costa County

Bay Area Legal Aid (Contra Costa County office)

What they do: Bay Area Legal Aid provides free civil-legal assistance to low-income individuals and families in the Bay Area, including Contra Costa County. They handle housing/tenant-landlord disputes, eviction defense, public-benefits issues, domestic violence and family-law support, and other civil-law needs.

Who they help: Low-income and very low-income individuals and families in Contra Costa County.

How to contact: Call their intake/helpline at 800-551-5554.

Contra Costa Senior Legal Services (CCSLS)

What they do: CCSLS provides free legal services to seniors (age 60+) throughout Contra Costa County. Services include housing/tenant-rights assistance (including eviction, tenant disputes), elder-law, consumer protection, advance planning (wills, powers of attorney), public-benefits help, and protection against elder abuse.

Who they help: Residents 60 or older, regardless of citizenship status.

How to contact: Phone: 925-609-7900.

Referral & Private-Attorney Options: Contra Costa County Bar Association (CCCBA) Referral Panel

What they do: CCCBA offers a lawyer-referral and information service to connect individuals in Contra Costa County with attorneys. This is useful if you can’t access free aid or need limited-scope or full-service representation.

Service snapshot: They offer referrals for many kinds of civil matters; referral consultations often start with a low-cost (e.g. 30-minute) consult.

Self-Help & Court-Based Resources

Even if you can’t get representation — you still have access to free or low-cost self-help resources through the courts or nonprofit clinics. For residents of Concord and Contra Costa County:

• Self-help centers for civil-law matters (evictions/unlawful detainer, landlord/tenant disputes, small claims, debt, public benefits, family-law filings, name changes, conservatorship/guardianship).
• Workshops or limited-scope clinics via CCCBA or other local nonprofit networks to help with paperwork, legal education, or low-cost advice.

Common Legal Issues Covered by Aid or Self-Help in Concord

• Evictions, unlawful-detainer defense, housing or landlord/tenant disputes, unsafe or substandard housing, rent or subsidy-housing issues. (Bay Area Legal Aid, CCSLS for seniors)
• Family law: divorce, child custody/visitation/support, spousal support, protective or restraining orders (domestic violence or elder abuse), child support, and paternity — via referral or self-help support where eligible. (CCCBA referrals, Bay Area Legal Aid, court self-help)
• Elder-law issues: housing for seniors, elder abuse/neglect protection, wills and powers of attorney, public benefits or benefits appeals, consumer protection for seniors. (CCSLS)
• Consumer and debt issues: debt-collection defense, consumer-rights disputes, unfair practices, credit issues, and other civil consumer law matters (via legal aid providers when capacity exists, or via referral)
• Public benefits issues — e.g. benefits denials, subsidy/housing-assistance issues, and other welfare or government benefits problems, especially for low-income or vulnerable individuals/families. (Bay Area Legal Aid)
• Immigration-related help in some cases — though capacity is often limited; when available, legal aid/referral networks may assist immigrant or limited-English-proficiency community members. (Bay Area Legal Aid is listed among services for such cases)

What These Legal Aid Services Usually Don’t Cover

• Criminal defense (felony or misdemeanor criminal cases, DUI, traffic offenses, etc.) — most civil legal-aid and self-help programs in Contra Costa focus only on civil matters.
• Complex high-asset commercial litigation, large business disputes, major class-action lawsuits, or highly specialized corporate law — generally outside scope of typical civil-aid or pro bono clinics.

Alternatives if You Don’t Qualify for Free Aid or Legal Aid Capacity Is Limited

• Referral via CCCBA: Use the Contra Costa County Bar Association Referral Panel to find attorneys willing to take on your case on a low-cost or limited-scope basis. (Call (925) 825-5700)
• Self-Help & Court Resources: Use court self-help centers and statewide self-help portals to assist with filings, eviction responses, small claims, family-law paperwork, name changes, conservatorships/guardianships, etc.
• Low-Cost or Sliding-Scale Clinics & Workshops: Some referral networks and nonprofit organizations provide limited-scope or sliding-scale representation, document-review, mediation, or consultation — especially helpful if you don’t qualify for full aid. (Referral via CCCBA or Bay Area Legal Aid when capacity exists)
• Online & Informational Tools: Use statewide resources such as the general self-help portal to access forms, guides, legal information, and referrals — helpful if you plan to represent yourself.

How to Prepare Before Calling or Applying for Legal Aid

1. Gather important documents: leases or rental agreements, eviction or notices, benefit or subsidy letters, income proof, identification, any court paperwork, debt or creditor or collection letters, correspondence, medical or abuse reports (if relevant), photos or documentation of problems (housing conditions, abuse, damage), and any other evidence relevant to your issue.
2. Write a brief summary of your issue: 2–3 sentences summarizing who is involved, what happened, when, and what outcome you want (eviction defense, custody/support, benefits appeal, debt defense, restraining order, etc.).
3. Have household, income, benefit, and demographic info ready: number of household members, income/funds, benefit status, age or disability status (especially for seniors), children or dependents — many aid providers use these for eligibility screening.
4. Note any important deadlines: eviction-notice deadlines, court-filing deadlines, benefit appeal deadlines, debt-collection deadlines, response dates — early outreach helps improve chances of assistance.
5. Prepare a list of questions and desired outcomes: e.g. “Can you help me stop an eviction?”, “Can you assist me with a restraining order?”, “Can you help me apply for benefits?”, “Can you review my lease?” — helps intake staff assess which service best fits your needs.

Conclusion: Where Concord Residents Should Start

If you need free or low-cost civil-legal help in Concord and can’t afford private counsel — start by calling Bay Area Legal Aid at 800-551-5554 to see if you qualify for intake. If you are a senior (60+), Contra Costa Senior Legal Services at 925-609-7900 is a key resource for elder-law, housing, consumer, and benefits issues. If legal aid organizations are unable to take your case — contact the Contra Costa County Bar Association Referral Panel at 925-825-5700 for possible low-cost or limited-scope representation. For simpler matters — eviction defense paperwork, tenant disputes, family-law filings, small claims, or court-form help — use the court self-help centers or statewide self-help portal. Before reaching out — gather all relevant documents, write a concise summary of your issue, and have income/household info ready. And if formal legal aid isn’t available — consider using your document-explainer tool (not legal advice, informational only) to understand your documents and possible next steps.