A common perception is that lawyers are only for the rich and those who are seriously injured. Who else can afford to pay $250 to $450 on an hourly basis? Especially in family cases, wherein the complications can be several, and dealing with tact becomes essential due to the multitude of emotions of so many people involved. Yet the local communities as well as the legal practitioners understand the need for making legal services available to absolutely everyone irrespective of the income group they belong to.

Bar Associations

Bar associations can be found all over the country providing a legal advice and services for all the people of that area. Using their database of lawyers with different kinds of skill sets, specialization and experience, they can suggest the most appropriate as well as affordable lawyer for a person's case. In California, with the help of a bar association, right from a Contra Costa employment lawyer, labor lawyer to immigration or elderly lawyer can be consulted with at a subsidized rate. Usually a services directory and a list of legal guidance organizations such as courts, libraries and self-help centers are also made easily available for public use free of cost.

Affordable Programs

Along with regular legal workshops and awareness sessions, bar associations are very popular for programs targeting the most widespread legal problems. In Contra Costa County this happens to be family law. A lot of people face problems such as separation, child custody, elderly abuse, alimony, estate division, etc. but do not have the means to get things done fairly. These programs follow a systematic plan of action in order to connect the right kind of lawyers with the person in need without draining the person's savings. The programs -

€ Measure the personal income levels
€ Measure the number of dependants on the person and their needs in monetary terms
€ Measure the willingness of the person to pay
€ Arrive at the monetary capacity of the person to pay for legal advice
€ Accordingly connect them with the best suited lawyer
€ Advise as to what questions to ask and how to make the most out of the lawyer
€ Advise as to how to cut costs during legal procedures
€ Deal with any arising disputes between the lawyer and the client

Limited Scope Representation

It simply means limited role of the Contra Costa family lawyer in a person's case to make it affordable for the person. The cost saving happens when -

The paperwork and logistics are done by the person himself and the lawyer only represents in court or vice versa. The lawyer advises the person on how to self-represent and what arguments, laws and sections to use to win the case.

Do not settle for a shabby arrangement when you can avail professional services just like anyone else. After all everyone has equal right to justice and fair trial.