Citizens Law Library
Find Legal Help in Missouri
When you need advice about your specific situation, a licensed attorney or authorized legal-aid provider can evaluate your facts, documents, deadlines, and available options.
Citizens Law Library does not provide legal advice or representation. This page is a general directory of public legal-help resources and is not a recommendation of any particular attorney or provider.
Read disclaimerStart with the right kind of help
Not every legal problem needs the same resource.
The best starting point depends on your legal issue, the urgency of the matter, your financial circumstances, your county, and whether you need advice, representation, a lawyer referral, or general court information.
Use the options below to locate qualified help. If you have an imminent deadline or emergency, contact an appropriate provider immediately rather than waiting for a response from this website.
Civil legal aid
Missouri legal-aid programs
Missouri’s legal-aid system includes four independent regional programs. Services, eligibility, income limits, counties served, case types, and available capacity can differ. Contact the program serving your county to ask how to apply.
Legal Services of Eastern Missouri
Free civil legal assistance for eligible people in its eastern Missouri service area.
Visit Legal Services of Eastern MissouriLegal Aid of Western Missouri
Free civil legal assistance for eligible people in its western Missouri service area.
Visit Legal Aid of Western MissouriLegal Services of Southern Missouri
Free civil legal assistance for eligible people in its southern Missouri service area.
Find Southern Missouri application informationMid-Missouri Legal Services
Free civil legal assistance for eligible people in its Mid-Missouri service area.
Find Mid-Missouri office informationNot sure which legal-aid program serves your county?
Use the Missouri Legal Services office directory to locate the correct regional program and application instructions.
Private attorney options
Use Missouri Bar resources to find or verify a lawyer.
The Missouri Bar offers public tools to search for a lawyer by practice area and location, and to check whether a Missouri lawyer is listed as in good standing.
When contacting a lawyer, ask about the type of matter they handle, consultation fees, payment arrangements, availability, and whether limited-scope representation may be available.
Questions to ask a lawyer
- Do you handle this type of legal matter?
- Do you practice in the county where the matter is pending?
- What is your consultation fee, if any?
- What services would you provide?
- Do you offer limited-scope representation?
- How are fees and expenses handled?
- What documents should I bring to a consultation?
Online civil legal questions
Missouri Free Legal Answers
Missouri Free Legal Answers is a virtual legal-advice clinic where qualifying users may submit civil legal questions for answers from volunteer attorneys. It is intended for eligible users and generally does not handle criminal matters.
Visit Missouri Free Legal AnswersPrepare before you call
Gather information for a more productive conversation.
A lawyer or legal-aid provider will determine what information they need. This general preparation list may help you organize before requesting help.
Basic timeline
Write a simple date-by-date account of key events, notices, calls, and prior actions.
Important documents
Gather court papers, contracts, notices, letters, receipts, photographs, and relevant communications.
Names and contacts
List the names, phone numbers, addresses, agencies, businesses, and courts involved.
Questions
Prepare a short written list of the questions you want to discuss with a qualified provider.
Emergency and deadline notice
If your matter is urgent, act promptly.
Do not rely on Citizens Law Library to calculate deadlines or respond to urgent legal circumstances. Contact the court, a licensed attorney, legal aid, or an appropriate public agency immediately if you have a hearing, filing deadline, eviction, safety concern, criminal charge, immigration issue, protection-order matter, or other urgent situation.
In an immediate safety emergency, call 911 or your local emergency service.
General legal-information resources
Need information before contacting a provider?
Explore Citizens Law Library’s general court-navigation and legal-topic resources. These materials are educational and do not replace individualized legal advice.