Detroit Resources
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01Before you use this page
They are independent of us
None of these organizations are connected to Marko Law. A listing is not an endorsement, not a referral arrangement, and not a promise that anyone here can help with your situation.
Details change
Services, hours, eligibility rules and phone numbers move. We review this page regularly, but contact each organization directly before you rely on what is written here.
This is not legal advice
This page is general information about where to find help in Detroit and Wayne County. It does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you are in an emergency right now, call 911.
01 · Start here
Three Detroit entry points that will send you somewhere specific, whatever the problem turns out to be.
Free 24/7 helpline that connects people in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Lapeer and Washtenaw counties with housing, utility, food, health and other local help, including referrals to legal aid.
Free 24/7 helpline that connects people in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Lapeer and Washtenaw counties with housing, utility, food, health and other local help, including referrals to legal aid.
The Detroit Bar Association offers a virtual consultation with a volunteer attorney for civil matters, and its site points people to the State Bar lawyer referral line and Lakeshore Legal Aid for faster help.
The Detroit Bar Association offers a virtual consultation with a volunteer attorney for civil matters, and its site points people to the State Bar lawyer referral line and Lakeshore Legal Aid for faster help.
Independent city office that investigates complaints about City of Detroit departments and services when a resident or business feels a department acted unfairly or did not respond.
Independent city office that investigates complaints about City of Detroit departments and services when a resident or business feels a department acted unfairly or did not respond.
02 · Free or reduced-cost legal help
Every one of these starts with an intake call about income, household and the kind of problem. Qualifying on income does not by itself guarantee representation.
Free civil legal help for low-income people in Detroit and the surrounding area, including eviction defense, foreclosure, public housing and Section 8 issues, and a program for veterans who are homeless or at risk.
Free legal representation for low-income people in housing, public benefits and community economic development matters, with a focus on tenants facing eviction in Detroit's 36th District Court.
Free civil legal services for people with low income, older adults and survivors of domestic violence, with Detroit and Dearborn offices and a phone intake line (CALL) for family, housing, consumer, benefits and expungement matters.
Wayne County nonprofit offering legal advocacy with a focus on people who are homeless or at risk, survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking, and seniors through its Elder Law and Advocacy Center.
Nonprofit law firm that helps Detroiters with driver's license restoration, clearing warrants, expungement, fines and fees, child support debt, custody orders, eviction defense and property tax appeals, through referral partners.
Detroit nonprofit legal team that helps people experiencing homelessness or deep poverty with court debt, old tickets and related barriers, and runs Street Outreach Court Detroit with the 36th District Court.
Law students supervised by faculty provide free legal help through clinics in family law, immigration, veterans law, criminal trial and appeals, conviction integrity, expungement, driver's license restoration and unemployment.
Free legal help for metro Detroit residents from supervised law students in clinics covering disability rights, asylum and immigration, appeals and post-conviction, small business and community groups, and legal advocacy for people with cancer.
Free legal help for very low-income residents of Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw counties in family law, landlord-tenant, public benefits, guardianship, immigration, debt and foreclosure matters.
03 · Civil rights and police accountability
A complaint to one of these offices creates a paper trail. Agency filing windows are shorter than the deadline for a lawsuit, so the clock is a reason to move early.
Civilian office that takes and investigates complaints about Detroit Police Department officers and 911 operators. You can file by phone, mail, fax, online, in person or at any precinct.
State agency that investigates discrimination complaints in employment, housing, education, public accommodation and policing. You can file online, by phone or through the Detroit office at Cadillac Place.
Nonprofit headquartered in Detroit that takes civil liberties complaints through an online intake form and selects cases that affect many people, such as police misconduct, free speech, voting and discrimination.
The nation's largest NAACP branch reviews civil rights complaints and reports of discrimination from the public and, when appropriate, refers people to possible legal representation or other agencies.
City department that investigates discrimination complaints under Detroit's civil rights ordinance, handles ADA grievances against the City, and provides language access help for residents with limited English.
04 · Employment, wages and workplace rights
Federal and state offices in Detroit that take workplace complaints, plus the city's job center. Most charges must be filed within months, not years.
Federal agency where workers file charges of job discrimination, harassment or retaliation based on race, sex, age, disability, religion, national origin, pregnancy or genetic information.
Detroit nonprofit law center that advocates for workers and low-income communities on issues such as wage theft, workers' rights, utility justice and environmental justice. Call to set up an appointment.
Federal agency that protects the right of most private sector employees to organize, join a union or act together about pay and working conditions, and investigates unfair labor practice charges against employers or unions.
State office that takes complaints about unpaid wages, minimum wage and overtime violations, illegal paycheck deductions, unpaid final pay and earned sick time under Michigan law.
The City of Detroit's free job and training service connects residents with job openings, paid training, career coaching and support such as transportation or expungement help through its career centers.
State agency that handles unemployment benefit claims, protests and appeals. The Detroit local office at Cadillac Place offers in-person help by appointment, and phone and online help are available statewide.
05 · After a crash: reports, claims and records
Where to get the police report, your medical records and the forms for a claim against the city. Ask for everything in writing and keep copies.
Gives you a copy of the Detroit police crash (UD-10) report or crime report for your incident. Reports cost $10 and are picked up in person at the 3rd Precinct.
Takes notarized notice-of-claim forms for injuries or property damage caused by the City, including DDOT buses, city vehicles, potholes and sidewalks. The form must be filed within 45 days of the incident.
Provides copies of your hospital records from DMC hospitals such as Detroit Receiving, Harper/Hutzel, Children's, Sinai-Grace and the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan.
Releases copies of your records from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and other Henry Ford sites, online, by paper form or through MyChart.
Issues certified death and birth certificates for Detroit and the rest of Wayne County. A certified death certificate is usually needed for insurance, estate and wrongful death matters.
06 · Courts and self-help
Court staff can explain procedure and hand you public forms. They cannot advise you on your own case, and nobody there is allowed to say whether you will win.
Free walk-in help from court navigators who explain forms, procedures and fee waivers for Wayne County Circuit Court cases. They give information and referrals, not legal advice.
Free help understanding forms and procedures at Detroit's district court, which handles traffic tickets, misdemeanors, small claims, landlord-tenant cases and civil suits up to $25,000.
Handles estates of people who have died, guardianships and conservatorships for injured or incapacitated adults, and minor settlements. Filings can be made by email, mail, drop box or in person.
Provides copies of Wayne County Circuit Court civil and family case files, including certified copies of judgments and orders, in person, by mail or by email request.
Manages child support, custody and parenting time orders in Wayne County cases. Provides case information, court forms, payment windows and motion scheduling.
Free limited help from law students supervised by an attorney for low-income people handling a federal civil case without a lawyer, such as employment discrimination or civil rights (Section 1983) claims.
Accepts and processes appeals from Wayne County trial court decisions and answers procedural questions about filing deadlines, fees and forms.
07 · Nursing home, elder abuse and vulnerable adults
Financial exploitation counts, and so does care that has quietly stopped. You do not have to be a relative to report it.
For an immediate emergency, call 911 first.
Free call center that connects Detroit seniors, caregivers and families to home care, meals, wellness programs, Medicare counseling and elder abuse resources.
Free Information and Assistance line for older adults and caregivers in the 34 communities of western and southern Wayne County, with care management, meals and long-term care options.
Free, confidential advocates who help residents of nursing homes, homes for the aged and adult foster care homes resolve complaints about care, neglect, rights violations or discharge.
Prosecutes physical abuse, neglect and major financial crimes against people 65 and older or vulnerable adults, including crimes in nursing homes and adult foster care facilities.
Free civil legal help for Wayne County residents age 60 and older, plus elder abuse prevention education for seniors, caregivers and professionals.
County program providing congregate meals, home-delivered meals, liquid nutrition and referrals for seniors 60 and older in western Wayne County and Downriver.
08 · Domestic violence, sexual assault and family safety
All of these are confidential, and none require you to have decided anything yet. If a call is not safe, several take text or chat instead.
For an immediate emergency, call 911 first.
24-hour help line, emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy and support groups for survivors of domestic and sexual violence anywhere in Wayne County.
Free 24/7 crisis line, medical-forensic exams, counseling and advocacy for survivors of sexual assault and human trafficking of all ages and genders.
24-hour crisis line and a 67-bed secure emergency shelter for women escaping intimate partner violence, with case management, PPO help and a nurse navigator.
Where Wayne County residents file for a Personal Protection Order at no cost; social service specialists complete the forms with you, explain your rights and can accompany you to the hearing.
Shelter, crisis resource center, housing help and human trafficking and domestic violence services for homeless and at-risk girls and young women in Detroit.
Emergency shelter on Detroit's west side for single women, women with children, families and men with children who have nowhere safe to stay.
Detroit-based peer support groups and healing programs for survivors of sexual assault, centered on the African American experience but open to all.
09 · Crisis, shelter and victim support
Free, confidential and answered at any hour unless a listing says otherwise.
For an immediate emergency, call 911 first.
Free 24/7 line for anyone in Wayne County facing a mental health or substance use crisis. Real counselors answer, can send a mobile crisis team, or connect you to walk-in crisis care.
One call to the Connect Center reaches more than 80 programs: rent and utility help, water bills, property tax relief, food, housing counseling and support for people fleeing domestic violence.
Detroit nonprofit offering street outreach, low-barrier emergency shelter, medical respite, supportive housing and integrated mental health and primary care for adults experiencing homelessness.
Emergency shelter, housing help and long-term coaching for Detroit families facing homelessness. Entry is through the city's CAM line, which also covers other Detroit shelters.
Emergency shelter, meals, addiction treatment and transitional housing for men, women and families in Detroit, with a dedicated shelter line and an addiction helpline.
Walk-in style mental health, substance use and primary care clinics on Detroit's east side, a 24/7 call center, a children's center and a 24/7 crisis stabilization unit in Westland.
Therapy, psychiatric care, psychological assessments and family support for children and teens who have lived through trauma, plus foster care and respite programs.
Free help for crime victims with court dates, explanations of the process, PPO guidance, counseling referrals, court accompaniment and victim impact statements; the DV Unit prosecutes intimate partner assault cases.
10 · Immigrants and newcomers
Nonprofit immigration lawyers and community organizations that work in Spanish, Arabic and other languages. Capacity is limited, so call early.
Free immigration legal help for low-income immigrants in Michigan, including a Detroit office, a statewide intake line, a WhatsApp line and a separate information line for people in detention.
Shelter, legal aid, mental health care, and housing and job help for people who fled persecution and are seeking safety in the United States. Anyone with no safe place to stay can come in day or night.
Low-cost immigration legal consultations with attorneys and DOJ accredited representatives in Midtown Detroit, covering citizenship, family petitions, DACA, TPS, VAWA, U and T visas, plus English and citizenship classes.
DOJ accredited immigration help in Dearborn for naturalization, family reunification, green cards and visas, with staff who can accompany you to immigration interviews. ACCESS also offers health, social and employment services.
Southwest Detroit nonprofit with adult services, community organizing and advocacy, violence interruption, youth programs and bilingual staff who can point Spanish-speaking families to the right help.
Questions & Answers
Clear answers to common questions about injury, civil rights and employment cases. Select a question to read the full answer.
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