i need to file bankruptcy, creditors are calling left and right, one is trying to levy my bank account i have papers to be sued, i have no house no car etc no job i cant even get a job at mcdonalds. is there anywhere to find assistance for a lawyer for free? what can i do?
There are consumer advocate groups in almost every county who can assist you at no cost to file bankruptcy and the court also allows you to file a petition to proceed in forma pauperis which means that the court may wave the filing fee for yout to file based on your financial hardship. I have represented clients such as yourself for free as well. I am able to review the situation with the creditors to determine if there is perhaps a case against some unscrupulous debt collectora who have been harassing you and that may provide an avenue for you to fight back against some of the creditors. Contact me for a free consultation.
You certainly have options, and an attorney may be able to assess your circumstances and recommend some options. Filing yourself is sometimes an option, as is working with an attorney pro bono. You might have still other options after that, but you should speak with either a qualified attorney or your local bar association for more information.
You should contact your local legal aid office to determine whether or not you qualify for their services, which are free if you qualify. There are circumstances where you may qualify based upon your income and assets, but the legal aid office may not be able to help you due to their large case load unless you have some asset "at risk."
Here is a helpful link to find the legal services office in your area:
http://www.palawhelp.org/PA/StateDirectory.cfm/County/%20/demoMode/=%201/Language/1/State/PA/TextOnly/N/ZipCode/%20/LoggedIn/0
If you are being harassed by debt collectors, a qualified consumer advocate may be able to help you with those collectors. In some circumstances, an attorney can help you recover money from abusive collectors that you can then use to retain a bankruptcy attorney.
I recommend any member attorney of the National Association of Consumer Advocates (NACA): http://naca.net/. Many offer free consultations.
If creditors or debt collectors are calling "left and right", it is possible that one of them is breaking the law. A consumer lawyer can review your situation for free. If you have little to no assets, you may be "judgment proof" - at least for now- meaning collectors have nothing on which to collect from you. My office offers a free phone consultation on these matters.
