Category
10 resources in Legal Aid
Connecticut Probate Courts
Handles matters including wills and estates, conservatorships, guardianship of minors, name changes, adoption, and commitment proceedings. Public court serving Bridgeport residents.
Mon-Thu 8:30am-5pm; Fri 8:30am-4pm
Before you go: Bring court papers, notices, letters, leases, IDs, and deadlines related to the legal issue.
Building Neighborhoods Together
Fairfield County's most active nonprofit affordable housing developer. Owns and manages 230+ units. Services include pre-purchase education, rental assistance counseling, eviction and foreclosure prevention, credit repair, fair housing assistance, financial literacy workshops for youth, and reverse mortgage counseling for seniors.
Mon-Fri; call for hours
Before you go: Bring photo ID and any eviction, shelter, lease, or income paperwork you have.
Catholic Charities of Fairfield County
Immigration legal services specializing in citizenship applications and family-based petitions for individuals seeking legal status and family reunification. Multi-lingual staff (English, Spanish, French). Initial consultation fee $75 per case.
Mon-Fri; call for hours
Before you go: Bring immigration notices, identity documents, court papers, and any prior applications if you have them.
CIRI
Comprehensive immigration services since 1918. BIA-recognized provider of asylum applications, U-visas, SIJS, family petitions, naturalization/citizenship, deportation defense, employment authorization, and citizenship preparation classes. Also provides refugee resettlement, workforce readiness, job placement, and financial literacy.
Mon-Fri 9am-5pm
Before you go: Bring immigration notices, identity documents, court papers, and any prior applications if you have them.
Connecticut Legal Services (CLS)
Free legal services for low-income residents covering housing, family/domestic violence, health law, public benefits, employment, elder law, education, juvenile law, and immigration (VAWA, DACA, SIJ, asylum).
Mon-Fri 9am-5pm
Before you go: Bring court papers, notices, letters, leases, IDs, and deadlines related to the legal issue.
State of Connecticut
Connecticut's Clean Slate law provides automatic erasure of most low-level convictions after 7 years (misdemeanors) or 10 years (felonies). For cases not eligible for automatic erasure, you can apply for an Absolute Pardon through the Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Phone hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm
Before you go: Bring court papers, notices, letters, leases, IDs, and deadlines related to the legal issue.
Eviction Help CT
Free legal representation for eligible tenants facing eviction or loss of housing subsidy in Connecticut Housing Court. Part of Connecticut's Right to Counsel program.
Varies
Before you go: No office to walk into. Apply by phone or online the day your eviction papers arrive. Court deadlines are tight, so don't wait. Free for eligible tenants.
Family ReEntry
Evidence-based programs addressing behavioral health, domestic violence, reentry, and risks to youth. Services include youth mentoring, intensive case management, life skills training, abuse and mental health treatment, family interventions, psychoeducational groups, fatherhood engagement, and reentry housing assistance.
Mon-Fri; call for hours
Before you go: If this is urgent or you may hurt yourself or someone else, call 988 or 911.
The Center for Family Justice
Connecticut's first Family Justice Center providing free, confidential, trauma-informed services for victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, human trafficking, and child abuse. Services include crisis counseling, safety planning, support groups, civil/legal advocacy, self-sufficiency services, and 24/7 crisis hotlines. Also operates Kathie's Place, a 15-bed emergency safe house for women and children fleeing abuse (up to 60 days).
Walk-ins Mon-Fri 9am-4pm; DV Hotline 24/7: (888) 774-2900; Sexual Assault Hotline: (888) 999-5545
Before you go: Bring court papers, notices, letters, leases, IDs, and deadlines related to the legal issue.
Southwestern CT Agency on Aging
Regional Area Agency on Aging serving older adults and individuals with disabilities. Provides Medicare/Medicaid counseling, benefits screening, care management, long-term care planning, elder abuse prevention, and connections to home-delivered meals, senior day centers, home care, transportation, legal services, and nutrition programs. Call Aging Answers helpline for assistance.
Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm; Aging Answers helpline: (800) 994-9422
Before you go: Serving adults 60+ and people with disabilities. No need to drive to Bridgeport: call the free Aging Answers helpline (800) 994-9422, Mon-Fri 8:30-4:30, for Medicare and benefits help.
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