Thank you for contacting Central Intake for Northeast Legal Aid and the Northeast Justice Center for help with your housing case.
While we are unable to assign you a housing attorney at this time due to limited resources, legal help is still available through the LAWYER FOR A DAY PROGRAM in Northeast Housing Court, which NLA staffs in person in Lawrence (Mondays), Salem/Lynn (Tuesdays), and Lowell (Wednesdays). If you are a tenant facing a court eviction, it is very important to file your Answer and Discovery BEFORE court (you can also request a jury if you file on time). These documents have to be filed and either emailed or given to your landlord’s attorney (or the landlord if they don’t have an attorney) no later than 3 business days before your first mediation date. Help is available by using this website: https://www.gbls.org/MADE. Or, the Court Services Center can help you prepare these documents: 1) from 9 a.m.-noon via zoom by calling 646-828-7666 and entering the meeting ID # 1615261140 (or using this link), or 2) in person in Lawrence and Lowell all day on Tuesdays/Thursdays. Further information about Court Service Center locations and hours is available here. It is also very important to arrive in court for any mediation or hearing ON TIME, or you will be defaulted. Also, if your case is in District Court, the Court Service Center can help you transfer it to the Housing Court.
If you need help getting your landlord to fix problems in your apartment, go to GetUptoCode.org.
You are welcome to apply again when intake for your type of legal problem reopens. You can try applying again on-line or by telephone (978-458-1465), or by walking in to any of our offices.
An excellent source of information about your legal rights in many areas can be found at www.masslegalhelp.org. You can also obtain referrals to lawyers who handle your kind of legal matter at lawyer referral programs such as the Mass Bar Association Lawyer Referral Program, the Essex County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Program, the Middlesex County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Program and the National Lawyers Guild Lawyer Referral Program. Some of these programs maintain lists of lawyers willing to take cases Pro Bono or at a reduced fee.
Remember, if you are facing eviction, please be sure to file your Answer and Discovery on time, and come see us at the Lawyer for a Day table. We hope you find this information useful.