Small Claims Intake
















VLP offers help in small claims through our Small Claims Clinic 
Small Claims Clinic is a weekly  clinic that takes place via phone/zoom. If you qualify, this would be a way to talk to a volunteer lawyer for free about your small claims case for a half hour consultation. We do not have volunteer lawyers who can go to court with you, but you can request more than one appointment at the clinic. You would be able to get advice on how to represent yourself, file paperwork, serve documents, and how to prepare for court. If you are interested, please complete all parts of this form and click "submit" at the end. Please note, by accepting this form, VLP is not agreeing to accept your case, and we are not your lawyer.

In order to attempt to recruit a volunteer lawyer to help you, we may share the information you provide to us with the potential volunteer lawyers. By applying for help through our program, you agree that we may share your information for this purpose.  

If you can’t or do not want to submit the form, you can also call our intake line on Monday afternoons from 1-3:30, or Fridays 9:00 to 11:30, at 1-800-442-4293, for cases in southern Maine. For northern Maine, please call 1-888-956-4276 on Fridays from 9:00 to noon.  

 
Some important information:  

- We will review your request when it is received and make a determination if you qualify for this service.  
- We serve only low-income Mainers, and you will need to provide some financial information to determine if you qualify.  We provide free legal aid for people who are at 200% of federal poverty level or below, which is about $26,000 income for a single person.  We also have a $5000 asset limit.
- You will receive either a phone call or email from VLP to confirm your submission and give you information about referrals or scheduling.  
- You may receive a phone call from a blocked number.  
- VLP does not provide full representation, and we will not be able to provide a lawyer to go to court with you.  
 

Some resources that may be helpful to you:

We have an informational video on our website that may be helpful. Here’s a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVN5uP23grk 

 

Here is a link to more information about small claims: https://www.courts.maine.gov/help/small-claims/index.html 


Email *
Full Legal First and Last Name *
We will contact you from a BLOCKED number or a GOOGLE VOICE number or EMAIL.  We want to be able to reach you to 1) Do the intake interview and 2) schedule you for a clinic if you are eligible.         

DO YOU CHECK YOUR EMAILS and CAN YOUR PHONE RECEIVE CALLS FROM BLOCKED NUMBERS? 
 *
Zip Code *
Street Address *
Mailing City *
State
County of Residence *
County of Dispute *
Phone Number *
Is it safe to leave a message at this number? *
What is the best email address to reach you?
Please Enter Your Own Date of Birth *
MM
/
DD
/
YYYY
Number of People 18 and Over in Your Household *
Number of People Under 18 in Your Household *
What type(s) of income does your household have? Please include everyone living in your home who has their own income *
What is your overall household income per month? (this means the income of all individuals bringing in money to contribute to the household before taxes, rent, other expenses) *
Other than a home you live in, and one vehicle, do you have any other assets worth over $5000, such as: other property and/or $5000 in a bank account? *
Asset Dollar Amount *
Additional financial information we should know?
Are you defending a small claim case that has been brought against you? *
Are you interested in bringing a claim against another party? *
Have you been speaking to or working with a lawyer about this legal issue?
 *
Please list the full legal name of opposing party *
Birthday of Opposing Party if known
Street address or Town/City where Opposing Party lives if known
Please list any additional information you may have concerning the opposing party:
Gender *
What race or ethnicity do you identify as? *
Required
What language do you speak most at home? *
Do you need an interpreter?
Clear selection
Do you have a physical, mental, or learning disability? *
Does anyone in your household have a disability? *
Are you currently serving in the military? *
Have you ever served in the military *
Is there anyone in your household who is currently serving or who has ever served in the military?
Clear selection
Is this case going through a specific court? *
Which court or agency?
Do you have a deadline? *
When is the deadline?
MM
/
DD
/
YYYY
What is the deadline for?
Legal Problem Type *
Opposing party's attorney name and number (if known)
Please provide a summary of your legal issue, including specific details, a clear description of what you are looking for assistance with, questions you have for a lawyer, and your goal(s) *
Amount of money you feel you are owed and breakdown of that if appropriate: *

I acknowledge and confirm that the above information is correct. I understand that providing false information may lead to termination of services. I give permission for this information to be shared with the Volunteer Lawyers Project attorney and staff.
Clear selection
Please reading the following and indicate if you agree:                                                                            "I understand that the Maine Volunteer Lawyers Project is helping me talk to a lawyer about a small claims case. I understand that the volunteer lawyer I speak to may be able to give me some legal advice based on what I tell them. The VLP’s staff and volunteers may not be able to answer questions that go beyond how to fill out the court forms, how to serve them on the opposing party, and how the court process works in general. I understand that the VLP’s staff and volunteers will not be representing me after my appointments and will not be representing me in court. I understand that the VLP will not be able to provide me with a pro bono attorney except for when I speak to a lawyer at the clinic. I understand that the VLP cannot guarantee the outcome of my case. I understand that the lawyer helping me has told me that she or he does not know of any conflicts of interest affecting this representation and I know of none either. I understand that the lawyer helping me will not keep a file or any papers on my behalf. I have read this agreement and agree to its terms." *
A copy of your responses will be emailed to the address you provided.
Submit
Clear form
Never submit passwords through Google Forms.
reCAPTCHA
PrivacyTerms
This content is neither created nor endorsed by Google. Report Abuse - Terms of Service - Privacy Policy
Google Forms