Free and Low-Cost Legal Help in Montgomery County: Where Older Adults and Families Can Start
If an older adult or family member in Montgomery County has a legal problem, the hardest part is often knowing where to start. The right first call depends on whether you need general resource navigation, brief advice about a civil case, family-law help, or an attorney who may be able to provide representation.
I put this guide together to separate those routes. Each resource below has a different role, so choosing the closest match can save time and help you ask for the right kind of assistance.
Start by naming the problem—not the program
Before calling, describe the issue in one sentence. For example: “I received an eviction notice,” “I need help understanding guardianship paperwork,” “A debt collector filed a case,” or “I am trying to find out whether free representation is available.” That description is more useful than asking broadly for an elder-law attorney.
Write down any hearing date, response deadline, notice date, or case number. Free and low-cost services may not be able to help with every matter, and none should be expected to extend a legal deadline while you wait.
1. Aging and Disability Resource Unit: when you are not sure which door to use
Montgomery County’s Aging and Disability Resource Unit (ADRU) is a practical starting point for older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers who need help identifying the right service. The county says anyone may speak with an ADRU specialist, although individual programs may have their own financial, age, residency, or functional eligibility rules.
Call 240-777-3000. The currently posted hours are Monday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. A family member may call on someone else’s behalf. ADRU provides information and referrals; it is not a law firm and does not replace legal advice.
2. Maryland Court Help Center: brief help with a civil or family matter
The Maryland Court Help Center offers free limited legal services to individuals who do not have a lawyer. Its current page lists help with landlord-tenant matters, guardianship and other family-law issues, debt collection, foreclosure, small and large claims, domestic-violence or peace orders, and several other civil case types.
The statewide phone number is 410-260-1392, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. A lawyer may explain court papers, help with forms, discuss filing steps, or help someone prepare for court. The Help Center does not become your attorney or represent you in court, so ask exactly what the limited service will cover.
3. Montgomery County Pro Bono Program: screening for possible representation
The Montgomery County Bar Foundation’s Pro Bono Program screens low-income Montgomery County residents who need help with eligible civil legal matters. The posted screening line is 301-424-7651, Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Walk-ins are not accepted.
A screening does not guarantee that an attorney will take the case. The program relies on volunteer lawyers and notes that finding representation may take time. Call early, be ready to discuss household income and county residency, and ask whether the subject of the case falls within the program’s scope.
4. Family Law Self-Help Center: Montgomery County cases involving family law
For divorce, custody, visitation, guardianship, or child-support questions, the Montgomery County Circuit Court lists a free Family Law Self-Help Center in Room 1500 of the South Tower at 50 Maryland Avenue in Rockville. It provides legal information and limited advice rather than full representation.
The court currently lists 240-777-9079 and 240-777-9145. Posted hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with extended hours until 6 p.m. on Thursday. Check the court page before traveling because hours and staffing can change.
Which route fits your situation?
Call ADRU when an older adult, person with a disability, or caregiver needs help identifying the right county or state resource.
Call the Maryland Court Help Center when you are representing yourself and need brief guidance about a civil or family court matter.
Call the Pro Bono Program when you are a Montgomery County resident with limited income and want to be screened for possible help with an eligible civil case.
Use the Family Law Self-Help Center when the issue involves a Montgomery County family-law case and you need forms, procedural information, or limited advice.
A 10-minute preparation checklist
Write a one-sentence description of the legal problem and what outcome you are trying to reach.
List every known deadline, hearing date, notice date, and case number.
Gather the most important papers, but do not email sensitive records until the organization tells you how to send them securely.
Note the older adult’s Montgomery County address and whether the caller is seeking help for themselves or for someone else.
Be ready to discuss household income if you are requesting income-based pro bono assistance.
Ask whether the service gives information, brief advice, document help, a referral, or actual representation.
Confirm fees, eligibility, conflicts, next steps, and who is responsible for any approaching deadline.
Some concerns have a more specialized local route
If the issue involves care, rights, or unresolved complaints in a nursing home or assisted-living community, my guide to the Montgomery County Long-Term Care Ombudsman explains that resident-directed advocacy service. For a physical barrier in an owner-occupied home, the guide to Montgomery County home-accessibility repairs and tax credits covers HARP and Design for Life.
Those programs solve different problems from a court-help center or pro bono law office. Using the specialized route first can prevent an older adult from being passed between organizations that were never designed to handle the issue.
What free or low-cost legal help does—and does not—mean
“Free legal help” can mean a short phone consultation, assistance completing a form, procedural information, a clinic appointment, or full representation in a qualifying case. Those are not interchangeable. Eligibility, case type, service limits, attorney availability, and fees can change, so confirm the scope before relying on a resource.
This article is general resource information, not legal advice. A lawyer who reviews the facts and documents can explain how Maryland law applies to a particular situation.
The simplest next step
Use the checklist above, choose the closest route, and make one focused call. If you still cannot tell where the issue belongs, call ADRU at 240-777-3000 and describe the problem in plain language. That is a better starting point than waiting for the situation to become more complicated.
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