If you live in Austin and cannot afford a private attorney, several organizations provide free or low-cost civil legal aid serving Travis County. These groups help with evictions, unsafe housing, domestic violence, consumer debt, family law, immigration-related civil matters, disability benefits, senior legal needs, and more. (You may upload legal documents to LegalClarity for a plain-English explanation, informational only, not legal advice.)
Major Legal Aid Providers Serving Austin
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA), Austin Office
What they do: TRLA is the primary free civil legal aid provider for Travis County and surrounding central Texas counties. They handle eviction defense, landlord-tenant disputes, domestic violence, family law, foreclosure, bankruptcy, consumer fraud, public benefits appeals, employment, farmworker rights, and civil rights matters. Services are available in English and Spanish.
Who they help: Low-income individuals and families in Travis County who meet income eligibility requirements.
Contact: Phone: (833) 329-8752 (Monday-Friday, 9 AM-5 PM). Website: trla.org.
Austin Tenants Council
What they do: Provides telephone counseling, mediation, housing discrimination assistance, and lease guidance for tenants in Travis County. Runs a landlord-tenant hotline with trained housing counselors and offers referrals to legal aid for residents facing eviction or habitability problems.
Contact: Phone (landlord-tenant hotline): (512) 474-1961. Website: austintenants.org.
Texas Advocacy Project
What they do: Provides free legal services and court advocacy to survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking across Texas, including Travis County. Offers protective order assistance, safety planning, and representation in civil matters related to family violence.
Who they help: Survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Texas.
Contact: Phone: (800) 374-4673. Website: texasadvocacyproject.org.
Disability Rights Texas
What they do: Provides free legal representation and advocacy for Texans with disabilities whose rights have been violated, including issues involving housing, public benefits, education, employment, and access to services.
Contact: Phone: (800) 252-9108. Website: disabilityrightstx.org.
Austin Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service
What they do: Connects Travis County residents with private attorneys for consultations across civil practice areas. Also runs LegalLine, a free telephone legal hotline for Bastrop, Hays, Travis, and Williamson County residents on the 1st Tuesday of each month.
Contact: Phone (LegalLine): (512) 472-8303. Website: austinlrs.com.
Common Civil-Legal Issues Covered in Austin
- Eviction defense and unsafe housing conditions
- Landlord retaliation and habitability problems
- Domestic violence and protection orders
- Custody, visitation, and child support issues
- Debt collection, repossessions, and garnishment
- Public-benefits denials (SNAP, Medicaid, SSI/SSDI)
- Foreclosure prevention and homeowner assistance
- Immigration-related civil help
- Record sealing and expungement
- Elder law and financial exploitation prevention
- Disability rights and accommodation issues
- Consumer fraud and predatory lending
What Austin Legal Aid Usually Cannot Handle
- Criminal defense cases
- Traffic violations
- Personal injury or malpractice lawsuits
- Business or commercial disputes
- Immigration removal (deportation) defense
- High-asset or heavily contested divorce cases
When Austin Residents Should Seek Help Immediately
- You receive an eviction notice: Act quickly, eviction cases move fast in Travis County Justice of the Peace courts.
- You experience domestic or sexual violence: Contact the Texas Advocacy Project at (800) 374-4673 right away for emergency legal assistance and safety planning.
- You receive garnishment or debt-collection paperwork: Deadlines are strict, save all documents and contact TRLA immediately.
- Your landlord refuses urgent repairs: Contact the Austin Tenants Council hotline at (512) 474-1961 to document your rights and get referrals before taking further steps.
- Your public benefits were denied or reduced: Appeals windows are short, contact TRLA as soon as you receive a denial notice.
- You have a disability and face rights violations: Contact Disability Rights Texas, intake is available Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 4 PM.
How to Prepare Before Contacting Legal Aid
- Gather documents: leases, eviction notices, court papers, photos of housing conditions, debt collection letters, benefit denial letters, ID, pay stubs, and any disability or immigration documentation.
- Create a timeline: note key dates, notices received, repair requests, payments missed, and upcoming court or hearing dates.
- Prepare financial information: household size, monthly income, expenses, and current benefits, eligibility screening requires this.
- Write a brief issue summary: 2-3 sentences describing what happened and what help you need.
- Note urgent factors: upcoming court dates, eviction deadlines, risk of homelessness, violence, disability, or pending benefit cutoffs.
Alternatives If You Don't Qualify for Free Legal Aid
- Austin Bar Association LegalLine: free telephone legal questions on the 1st Tuesday of the month at (512) 472-8303.
- TexasLawHelp.org (statewide): free legal forms, plain-English guides, and a live chat feature for civil issues.
- Texas Free Legal Answers (online clinic): submit a civil legal question at texas.freelegalanswers.org and receive a response from a volunteer attorney.
- LegalClarity document upload: receive a plain-English explanation of your legal documents (informational only).
Conclusion: Where Austin Residents Should Start
If you need civil legal help in Austin and cannot afford a private attorney, call Texas RioGrande Legal Aid at (833) 329-8752. For tenant-specific issues, contact the Austin Tenants Council at (512) 474-1961. For domestic violence emergencies, call the Texas Advocacy Project at (800) 374-4673. If you don't qualify for free services, use the Austin Bar Association LegalLine or visit TexasLawHelp.org. You can also upload your documents to LegalClarity for a plain-English explanation, informational only, not legal advice.