In DC, 1 out of 5 Washingtonians falls into the "forgotten middle" when it comes to legal services. They are too "wealthy" to qualify for the wide range of free legal services available, but they cannot afford representation by private attorneys. As a result, 97% of individuals from modest- and low-income households appear in Probate Court without a lawyer, more than 83% of DC residents are forced to represent themselves in complex family law cases where they risk losing custody of their children, and more than 25,000 undocumented DC immigrants lack protected legal status. That's where DCALF steps in. DCALF ensures income is never a barrier to a family's receipt of high-quality legal representation. DCALF is the only nonprofit legal service provider in the District providing direct representation in family law, probate, and immigration matters to the more than 125,000 residents from modest-income households who call DC home. In the time of COVID-19, the need for DCALF's services has never been greater as community members’ wages were pummeled by the pandemic. In times of ordinary – and extraordinary –crisis, DCALF's experts meet the need.
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