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

If you live in Annapolis or Anne Arundel County and you can’t afford a private lawyer, there are nonprofit and volunteer-attorney services ready to help with civil legal problems. This guide shows where to turn, what kinds of cases get help, and how to prepare when you call or show up.

Major Legal Aid & Pro Bono Organizations Serving Annapolis / Anne Arundel County

Maryland Legal Aid — Annapolis Office

• Who they help: Low-income individuals and families in and around Annapolis/Anne Arundel County who meet financial and eligibility guidelines.
• What cases they handle: Civil-law matters such as housing (evictions, unsafe or unstable housing), tenant/landlord disputes, public benefits, consumer or debt issues, family law (custody, support, domestic violence), and other basic-needs legal help.
• How to contact: Office address: 229 Hanover Street, Annapolis, MD 21401. Phone: (410) 972-2700 (or 1-800-666-8330 statewide intake).

Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS)

• Who they help: Low-income Maryland residents (including Anne Arundel County) with civil-law needs who may not qualify for full legal aid or need volunteer attorney representation.
• What cases they handle: Civil legal issues — family law, housing/tenant issues, consumer debt or credit, probate/estate planning, expungements, and other civil-law matters.
• How to contact: Their statewide intake line or online form (see MVLS website). Phone: (410) 539-6800.

Free or Low-Cost Clinics & Self-Help Resources in Annapolis

• Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Family Law Self Help Center — A walk-in center at the county courthouse (8 Church Circle, Annapolis), helping people with family-law matters (custody, support, divorce, domestic violence, paternity, etc.), explaining processes, assisting with court forms, and giving basic legal information.
• Online & phone help via Maryland Courts Help Center — Offers free limited legal help (by phone or live chat) on civil issues. For Annapolis/Anne Arundel, you can call **410-260-1392**.
• Legal self-help & referral through local libraries or community organizations (via public-service listings and local bar association referrals) — For people needing modest assistance, referrals, or guidance when full representation isn’t possible. (Maryland’s 2-1-1 service may also help locate low-cost legal resources.)

What Legal Aid in Annapolis Usually Doesn’t Handle

• Criminal defense or serious criminal cases — Most legal-aid and volunteer-lawyer services in Annapolis focus on civil legal matters (housing, family law, benefits, debt, consumer issues), not criminal defense.
• Large business/commercial litigation — Aid services are designed for individuals, low-income families, seniors, tenants — not corporations or high-stakes business disputes.
• No guarantee of full representation for every eligible client — Like many legal-aid services, due to high demand and limited resources, some eligible clients may get only brief advice, referrals, or limited-scope help instead of full representation.

Emergency & Urgent Legal Help in Annapolis / Anne Arundel County

If you face urgent civil-legal problems — eviction or risk of homelessness, unsafe housing, domestic-violence or need for protective orders, sudden benefit denial, consumer scams or debt collection — it’s important to reach out quickly. These services may respond more readily or prioritize urgent cases:

• Call Maryland Legal Aid at (410) 972-2700 (or toll-free 800-666-8330) — They handle housing emergencies, eviction defense, benefits issues, consumer/debt crises, and urgent family-law situations.
• Use Maryland Courts Help Center (410-260-1392 / live chat) — For quick legal advice or basic guidance if you can’t reach a lawyer immediately or need information before a hearing or deadline.
• Consider MVLS for volunteer-attorney help if full aid is unavailable — Especially useful in urgent civil-law matters when the main legal-aid office has a waiting list.

How to Prepare Before You Call or Ask for Help

• Gather proof of income or benefit status — pay stubs, benefit letters (Medicaid, SNAP, unemployment), disability documents — since aid eligibility often depends on income and household resources.
• Collect any documents related to your legal issue — for housing: lease/rental agreement, eviction or landlord notices, rent receipts, maintenance requests; for debt/consumer: bills, collection notices, loan/contract papers; for family law: custody, support, domestic-violence or court paperwork; for benefits: denial letters or agency correspondence, etc.
• Know your household and personal details — number of people in your home, dependents, ages, disabilities or special needs, veteran status, address/contact info — helps legal-aid staff assess eligibility and urgency.
• Be aware of any deadlines — eviction dates, court hearing dates, benefit-cutoff dates, utility shut-offs, etc. Write them down and mention them when you call. Urgency can affect whether your case gets prioritized.
• Prepare a clear summary of what happened and what you need — include dates, names, what changed, and what outcome you hope for (safe housing, benefits, debt relief, custody, protection, etc.). Clear, honest information helps intake staff decide quickly whether they can help.

Alternatives If You Don’t Qualify for Full Legal Aid

• Volunteer-attorney services via Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS) — If legal-aid capacity is full or you’re slightly above income limits, MVLS may still match you with a volunteer lawyer.
• Self-help via the Family Law Self Help Center or Maryland Courts Help Center — Useful if you need guidance or to represent yourself (pro se), especially in family-law matters like divorce, custody, support, or domestic-violence protections.
• Seek help through local bar-association referral services or modest-fee attorneys — If free aid isn’t available, referral services may help you find a lower-cost lawyer for your case. (Anne Arundel County Bar Association or other local referral networks often maintain lists.)
• Contact community, housing, or social-services organizations for assistance or referrals — Some residents may qualify for help with housing, benefits, elder-law, or other civil matters via county-contracted services (e.g. through the county’s Department on Aging & Disabilities).

Key Takeaways

• Annapolis / Anne Arundel County is served by strong civil-legal aid resources — especially Maryland Legal Aid and MVLS — that help low-income, vulnerable and marginalized residents handle housing, benefits, family law, debt/consumer issues, and more.
• If you face serious or urgent civil-legal problems — eviction, unsafe housing, benefit denial, domestic-violence, family-law issues, debt — don’t wait. Reach out early: you may qualify for free or low-cost legal help, or at least get meaningful advice.
• If full representation isn’t available — self-help centers, volunteer-attorney programs, modest-fee referrals, or community-based resources remain good alternatives to navigating the legal system alone.
• Before calling: gather income documents, any relevant legal or housing papers, household information, deadlines (eviction, hearing, benefit cut-off), and a clear summary. Being prepared gives you the best chance of getting help quickly and effectively.