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Access to Justice Louisiana Free Legal Forms & Resources
Helpful Links

Resources & Helpful Links

A catalog of Louisiana legal aid organizations, specialized legal services, free legal answers platforms, bar associations, and law libraries. Many of these organizations provided the forms, guidance, or statutory frameworks that inform this library — they deserve credit, and you deserve to know where else to turn when a form is not enough.

A note on this catalog. The forms in this library were assembled from many sources — Louisiana Supreme Court approved forms, statewide legal aid publications, Louisiana State Bar Association templates, court-specific forms, Louisiana Law Library public resources, the ABA Free Legal Answers Louisiana program, and practitioner knowledge. Every organization listed below has contributed to access to justice in Louisiana, directly or indirectly. Visit them; support them; refer clients to them.

On this page: Louisiana Legal Aid Organizations · Specialized Legal Services · Louisiana Government & Judicial Resources · National Free Legal Help · Form Sources & Law Libraries · Hotlines & Helplines

Issue-Specific Nonprofits

Specialized Legal Services

Nonprofits focusing on specific practice areas: housing, disability, domestic violence, immigration, children's rights, elder law, veterans, prisoners, LGBTQ+ rights, and wrongful convictions. These organizations have deep subject-matter expertise.

  • Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center
    Housing discrimination and tenants' rights
    Statewide fair housing enforcement, tenant counseling, discrimination testing, and representation in housing matters. Accepts complaints of Fair Housing Act and Louisiana state law violations.
    Phone: 1-877-445-2100
    Web: lafairhousing.org
  • Disability Rights Louisiana
    Statewide protection & advocacy for persons with disabilities
    Federally designated protection and advocacy agency. Handles disability discrimination, special education, ADA access, institutional abuse, and Medicaid waiver issues. Also provides client assistance for VR-related rehabilitation disputes.
    Phone: 1-800-960-7705
    Web: disabilityrightsla.org
  • Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (LCADV)
    Statewide domestic violence services & referral
    Coalition of local shelters and programs. Connects survivors with shelter, legal advocacy, protective order assistance, and safety planning across Louisiana. Does not represent directly but refers to member agencies.
    Hotline: 1-888-411-1333
    Web: lcadv.org
  • Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault (LaFASA)
    Statewide sexual assault services
    Coordinates sexual assault response programs statewide, provides advocacy and referral to legal services. Hotline operates 24/7. Member programs assist with protective orders, Title IX matters, and crime victim compensation.
    Hotline: 1-888-995-7273
    Web: lafasa.org
  • Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans — Immigration
    Immigration legal services (fee-based with sliding scale)
    Federally accredited nonprofit immigration program. Handles family petitions, adjustment of status, asylum, naturalization, DACA, VAWA, U visa, and removal defense. Sliding-scale fees and payment plans available.
    Phone: (504) 310-6820
    Web: ccano.org
  • Catholic Charities Diocese of Baton Rouge — Immigration
    Immigration legal services, Baton Rouge region
    Federally accredited immigration services for the Capital Region. Family, humanitarian, and naturalization practice. Multilingual staff.
    Phone: (225) 336-8700
    Web: ccdiobr.org
  • Louisiana Center for Children's Rights
    Juvenile and children's legal services
    Represents children in delinquency and dependency proceedings across Louisiana. Also engages in systemic advocacy for juvenile justice reform. Direct representation is typically court-appointed; the organization also provides training and resources.
    Phone: (504) 658-6797
    Web: laccr.org
  • Louisiana Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
    Nursing home residents' rights advocacy
    Advocates for residents of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and community-based long-term care. Investigates abuse, neglect, and rights violations. Reports can be anonymous.
    Phone: 1-866-632-0922
    Web: goea.louisiana.gov
  • Louisiana Adult Protective Services (APS)
    Reports of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of vulnerable adults
    Investigates reports of abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation of adults 18 and older who have disabilities or conditions affecting their ability to protect themselves. Reports can be made confidentially, and reporters are legally protected.
    Hotline: 1-800-898-4910
    Web: goea.louisiana.gov
  • Louisiana Elderly Protective Services
    Ages 60+ abuse, neglect, exploitation response
    Distinct from APS — focuses exclusively on the 60+ population. Coordinates with Area Agencies on Aging, law enforcement, and protective placement proceedings when necessary.
    Hotline: 1-833-577-6532
  • Innocence Project New Orleans (IPNO)
    Post-conviction innocence work
    Represents people convicted of serious crimes in Louisiana who are factually innocent. Rigorous case screening; not a general appeals or post-conviction service. Case submissions through their application process.
    Phone: (504) 943-1902
    Web: ip-no.org
  • Louisiana Public Defender Board
    Criminal indigent defense statewide
    Administers public defender services in Louisiana. Adults facing criminal charges who cannot afford counsel apply through their local district public defender; the Board supports training, capital defense, and juvenile representation.
    Phone: (225) 219-9305
    Web: lpdb.la.gov
  • Louisiana Center for Human Rights
    Civil rights, constitutional, and systemic advocacy
    Litigation and advocacy on civil rights, voting rights, criminal justice reform, and immigrants' rights. Selective case intake focused on precedent-setting or systemic harm. Strong Section 1983 practice.
    Web: laaclu.org (ACLU of Louisiana affiliated resources)
  • ACLU of Louisiana
    Civil liberties & constitutional rights
    Litigates systemic civil liberties cases: First Amendment, Fourth Amendment, voting rights, criminal justice, reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights. Does not generally represent individuals but monitors cases of statewide significance.
    Phone: (504) 522-0628
    Web: laaclu.org
  • Veterans Legal Services (via LSBA)
    Free legal services for Louisiana veterans
    LSBA-coordinated network of attorneys providing free legal assistance to veterans on VA benefits appeals, discharge upgrades, housing, consumer, and family matters. Referral through LSBA or local Veterans Service Officers.
    LSBA Vets Hotline: Check lsba.org
  • Louisiana Trans Advocates
    Legal support for transgender Louisianians
    Coordinates legal assistance for name changes, gender marker corrections on state documents, and discrimination issues. Connects with LGBTQ+-friendly attorneys statewide.
State of Louisiana

Louisiana Government & Judicial Resources

Official Louisiana sources for forms, rules, statutes, court opinions, bar admission, and attorney licensing information.

  • Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA)
    Membership, ethics, lawyer referral, free legal help
    The LSBA runs the statewide Lawyer Referral Service, the Volunteer Lawyer Program, the Client Assistance Fund (reimbursing clients victimized by attorney misconduct), and public education materials including consumer-facing pamphlets. Also home to ethics hotlines and Continuing Legal Education.
    Phone: 1-800-421-5722
    Web: lsba.org
  • Louisiana Supreme Court
    State supreme court — opinions, rules, approved forms
    Source of official Louisiana court rules, Uniform Rules of Louisiana Courts of Appeal, rulings on writ applications, and court-approved forms. The Court's website publishes opinions, announcements, and the Louisiana Rules of Professional Conduct.
    Web: lasc.org
  • Louisiana Courts of Appeal (1st–5th Circuits)
    Louisiana's five intermediate appellate courts
    Published opinions, local rules, writ application procedures, and court-specific filing requirements. Each Circuit has its own website: 1st Circuit (Baton Rouge), 2nd Circuit (Shreveport), 3rd Circuit (Lake Charles), 4th Circuit (New Orleans), 5th Circuit (Gretna).
    Web: lacourtofappeal.org (landing)
  • Louisiana Legislature — Revised Statutes
    Primary source for Louisiana statutes
    Full text of the Louisiana Revised Statutes, Louisiana Constitution, Code of Civil Procedure, Code of Criminal Procedure, Civil Code, and legislative session materials. Fully searchable and free.
  • Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC)
    Unemployment insurance, workers' compensation, labor
    Source for unemployment claim forms, appeal procedures, workers' compensation forms (WC-1008 disputed claim petitions and related), labor standards guidance, and Louisiana Employment Discrimination Law intake.
  • Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services
    Child support, SNAP, Medicaid, CPS
    Forms and procedures for child support services, SNAP / food stamps applications and appeals, Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program (FITAP), and child welfare matters. Fair hearing request information available.
  • Louisiana Department of Health — Medicaid
    Medicaid application, appeals, fair hearings
    Medicaid eligibility, application process, fair hearing request procedures, and waiver-specific information. Denials and terminations can be appealed using the fair hearing request templates in our forms library.
  • Louisiana Department of Revenue
    State tax appeals, offer in compromise
    Source for state tax appeal procedures, offer-in-compromise forms, installment agreement request forms, and Board of Tax Appeals information.
  • Louisiana Board of Tax Appeals
    Independent tax appeals forum
    Hears and decides appeals from Louisiana Department of Revenue determinations. Rules, forms, filing instructions, and recent decisions. Appeals have strict deadlines.
  • Louisiana Board of Pardons
    Pardon and commutation applications
    Application forms, eligibility guidelines, hearing schedule, and statistics for pardon applications. First-offender pardons (La. R.S. 15:572(B)) are processed by the Louisiana Department of Public Safety Corrections; gubernatorial pardons go through the Board.
    Phone: (225) 342-5421
    Web: doc.louisiana.gov
  • Louisiana Secretary of State
    Business filings, elections, notary commissions
    LLC and corporate articles of organization/incorporation, annual reports, registered agent changes, notary commissions, voter registration, and election information.
    Web: sos.la.gov
  • Louisiana Office of State Vital Records
    Birth and death certificates, name changes
    Certified copies of Louisiana birth and death certificates, amendments, and the forms used to update vital records after a legal name change or gender marker correction.
National & Federal Resources

National Free Legal Help

National nonprofits and federal resources that provide free legal information, Q&A access to attorneys, and resources for self-represented litigants nationwide.

  • ABA Free Legal Answers — Louisiana
    American Bar Association free legal Q&A
    Louisiana-qualifying low-income users may post civil legal questions and receive written answers from volunteer Louisiana attorneys at no charge. Coordinated by the Louisiana Civil Justice Center. Does not create an attorney-client relationship for ongoing representation but gives specific written guidance on your situation.
  • LawHelp.org
    National legal information portal
    Search for legal aid and self-help resources nationwide by state and topic. Louisiana-specific page aggregates legal aid organizations and self-help materials in one place.
  • LawHelpInteractive
    Free interactive form-building tools
    Guided form interviews that produce court-ready documents. Some Louisiana-specific form assemblies are available. Complements static forms with interactive guidance.
  • Legal Services Corporation (LSC)
    Federal funder of U.S. civil legal aid
    The federal entity that funds Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, Acadiana Legal Service Corporation, and other LSC-funded programs. LSC maintains a directory of funded offices nationwide.
    Web: lsc.gov
  • Social Security Administration
    SSDI, SSI, retirement, survivor benefits
    Application, appeals (reconsideration, ALJ hearing, Appeals Council, federal court review), and information about all Social Security programs. Use the Louisiana field offices for in-person services.
    Phone: 1-800-772-1213
    Web: ssa.gov
  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
    Federal benefits, appeals, claims
    Source for VA benefits claims, Notice of Disagreement, Board of Veterans' Appeals procedures, CHAMPVA, and VA home loan information.
    Phone: 1-800-827-1000
    Web: va.gov
  • U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS)
    Federal immigration forms & information
    Official source for I-130, I-485, I-589, I-360 (VAWA), I-918 (U visa), I-751, N-400, and all other USCIS forms, instructions, filing fees, processing times, and updates. Cover letters in our library supplement — never replace — the official forms here.
    Phone: 1-800-375-5283
    Web: uscis.gov
  • U.S. Department of Labor — Wage and Hour Division
    FMLA, FLSA, minimum wage, overtime
    Source for FMLA Form WH-380-E (medical certification), FLSA complaint procedures, and wage-and-hour enforcement. Complaints can be filed confidentially.
    Phone: 1-866-487-9243
    Web: dol.gov/agencies/whd
  • U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
    Federal employment discrimination enforcement
    File charges of discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, and genetic information. Strict filing deadlines (180 days, or 300 days if state coverage). New Orleans Field Office serves all of Louisiana.
    Phone: 1-800-669-4000
    Web: eeoc.gov
  • National Immigration Legal Services Directory
    Immigration Advocates Network
    Searchable directory of nonprofit immigration legal services programs nationwide, filtered by state and service area. Includes quality, accreditation, and fee information for each organization.
Where These Forms Came From

Form Sources & Law Libraries

Many of the forms in this library are based on approved templates from Louisiana courts, bar associations, law libraries, and legal aid organizations. These sources deserve recognition — and they are also places to go for additional forms, updated versions, and deeper research.

  • Louisiana State Law Institute
    Official law reform & codification body
    Prepares the official Louisiana Civil Code, Code of Civil Procedure, Code of Criminal Procedure, and revised statutes with revision comments. A primary authority for research on Louisiana civil law doctrine.
    Web: lsli.org
  • Law Library of Louisiana (Supreme Court)
    Louisiana's primary law library — free public access
    Housed at the Louisiana Supreme Court in New Orleans. Publishes the Louisiana Self-Help Guide, maintains research guides, and provides free in-person reference assistance. Public access to Westlaw and LexisNexis terminals, Louisiana case law, practice treatises, and form books.
    Phone: (504) 310-2400
    Web: lasc.libguides.com
  • LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center Library
    Baton Rouge — major academic law library
    Louisiana's oldest law library. Extensive Louisiana civil law, comparative law, and practice materials. Public access to many resources. Excellent research guides published online.
  • Tulane Law Library
    New Orleans — major academic law library
    Substantial civil law, maritime, international, and common law collections. Public access by appointment. Tulane also maintains specialized research guides.
  • Loyola University New Orleans Law Library
    Jesuit law school library — civil and common law
    Active public-interest and clinical programs, with research support accessible to the public. Host to the Loyola Law Review and specialized collections in social justice, Latin American law, and professional responsibility.
  • Southern University Law Center Library
    Baton Rouge — HBCU law school library
    Louisiana civil law with a strong social justice and civil rights emphasis. Public research access; hosts the Southern University Law Review.
  • Louisiana Supreme Court — Approved Forms
    Court-approved statewide forms
    The Supreme Court publishes approved forms for expungement (the 2015/2020 EXP series), civil case cover sheets, Appendix 9.6 forms, protective orders, and other matters mandated or encouraged for statewide use.
    Web: lasc.org
  • Parish Clerks of Court
    Local court forms and filing procedures
    Each Louisiana parish clerk of court maintains local filing requirements, fee schedules, and parish-specific forms. The Louisiana Clerks of Court Association directory has contact information for all 64 parishes.
    Directory: laclerksofcourt.org
  • Louisiana Association of Self-Represented Litigants Project
    Self-help materials & court forms
    Louisiana-specific self-help guides, plain-language explanations of court procedures, and downloadable forms for common civil matters. Published in partnership with legal aid organizations.
    Via LCJC: laciviljustice.org
  • Louisiana Notary & Legal Services Directory
    Notarized document assistance
    Many Louisiana legal forms require notarization. The Louisiana Secretary of State maintains a searchable directory of commissioned notaries statewide.
Urgent & Crisis

Hotlines & Helplines

Immediate-response numbers for crises, emergencies, and time-sensitive legal intake. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For any mental-health emergency, call or text 988.

  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
    24/7 mental health crisis support
    Free, confidential, 24/7. Call or text 988. Veterans press 1; LGBTQ+ press 3; Spanish press 2. Chat: 988lifeline.org.
    Phone / Text: 988
    Web: 988lifeline.org
  • National Domestic Violence Hotline
    24/7 confidential support
    Available 24/7 via phone, text, or chat. Safety planning, shelter referral, and crisis counseling. Works with local advocates including LCADV member programs.
    Phone: 1-800-799-7233
    Text: START to 88788
    Web: thehotline.org
  • Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence
    Louisiana-specific DV referral
    Connects callers to local shelter and legal advocacy across all Louisiana regions.
    Hotline: 1-888-411-1333
  • RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
    24/7 sexual assault crisis support
    Free, confidential, 24/7 phone and online chat. Connects to local affiliated programs.
    Phone: 1-800-656-4673
    Web: rainn.org
  • LaFASA Sexual Assault Helpline
    Louisiana-specific, 24/7
    Confidential support and referral to local sexual assault programs across Louisiana.
    Phone: 1-888-995-7273
  • Veterans Crisis Line
    24/7 support for veterans, service members, and families
    Dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. Veterans-specific responders, including for sexual trauma and combat-related issues. Confidential and free.
    Phone: 988, press 1
    Text: 838255
  • Louisiana Child Abuse Hotline
    24/7 child abuse and neglect reporting
    Confidential reporting of suspected child abuse or neglect to Louisiana DCFS. Mandatory reporters include teachers, doctors, clergy, and other professionals. Reporters are legally protected.
    Hotline: 1-855-452-5437
  • Adult Protective Services (APS)
    Abuse, neglect, or exploitation of vulnerable adults
    Confidential reporting for abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of adults with disabilities. APS investigators have statutory authority to investigate and to coordinate with law enforcement.
    Hotline: 1-800-898-4910
  • Elderly Protective Services (60+)
    Age-60+ abuse, neglect, exploitation
    Distinct from APS. Coordinates with Area Agencies on Aging and law enforcement on elder-specific protective matters.
    Hotline: 1-833-577-6532
  • Long-Term Care Ombudsman
    Residents of nursing homes & assisted living
    Investigates complaints and resident-rights violations in long-term care facilities statewide. Anonymous reporting possible.
    Phone: 1-866-632-0922
  • Louisiana Civil Justice Center Legal Hotline
    Brief legal advice & referral, statewide
    Toll-free statewide hotline for quick legal advice on Louisiana civil matters and referral to legal aid partners. A good first call when you don't know where to start.
    Hotline: 1-800-310-7029
  • LSBA Lawyer Referral Service
    Connects you with a private attorney statewide
    Referral to private attorneys who offer a reduced-fee initial consultation. This is NOT a free service for ongoing representation, but a way to get vetted attorney contact for matters you may need to pay for privately.
    Phone: 1-800-421-5722
Acknowledgment

This library stands on the shoulders of others.

The forms in this library exist because of the decades of work done by Louisiana's legal aid organizations, the Louisiana State Bar Association, the Louisiana Supreme Court and its law library, the ABA Free Legal Answers program, the Louisiana State Law Institute, and Louisiana's law schools. Every form here was informed, directly or indirectly, by their templates, research guides, statutory commentary, or approved court forms. This page catalogs those sources and gives you every way to reach them.

If you use this library and it helps you, please consider supporting the legal aid organizations listed here. They need volunteers, donations, and advocates.

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