Andrea E. Loney, Esquire – Executive Director Jim O. Stuckey, Esquire – Board Chairman

Mission Statement South Carolina Legal Services is a statewide law firm that provides civil legal services to protect the rights and represent the interests of low income South Carolinians.

Vision Statement All low-income South Carolinians will have full and fair access to justice.

History of Legal Services 1965 – Office of Economic Opportunity granted funds for the Office of Legal Services programs as a part of the war on poverty 1971 – Conflicts between legal services programs and OEO resulted in legislation to form a separate legal services corporation 2002 – All legal services combined to form statewide South Carolina Centers for Equal Justice 2006 – Name changed to South Carolina Legal Services

Who is eligible for SCLS Services? Low-income residents of South Carolina Limit on income: 125% of the federal poverty level – (family of 4 = $28,813) (changes every year) up to 200% - based on certain conditions – (family of 4 - $46,100) Limit on assets (money in bank accounts, property, etc.) Some exceptions (some grants allow us to represent clients outside these financial limitations)

What SCLS Clients Pay No cost for work done by SCLS Clients must cover other costs, including: Court filing fees – if not waived by court Costs a client is ordered to pay by a court Guardian ad Litem fees Service of process fees

Intake Information Basic Information: Name, Address, Etc. Household Residents Marital status, Disability Employment (if any) Income, Assets, Public Benefits Facts of your case

Additional Services for Disabled Individuals, Non-English Speakers, and Individuals with Vision and/or Hearing Impairment Home visits Spanish speakers in some SCLS offices LATIS and all offices equipped to handle Spanish and other foreign languages Braille and sign language services available

What does SCLS Do? Representation in legal proceedings Counsel and Advice Brief Services – Advance Directives Community Education Pro se divorce clinic Brochures Presentations to community groups Referrals to other agencies

What SCLS Does NOT Do…… Criminal cases Fee-generating cases

Available Legal Representation

To Apply -- Statewide Intake – Call Center (phone lines may be busy or will disconnect after waiting 15 minutes) Centralized Intake Office Hours of operation -- 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday. (888) or (803) OFFICE INTAKES Referrals received from out of state legal services programs; Emergency referrals from court staff, other service providers or community based organizations; Applicants who are unable to communicate by telephone because of an impairment, homebound or in an institution; Walk-ins

Purpose of Statewide Website - ( Provide new and innovative ways to provide legal resources and information Expand access to and quality of legal services

The statewide website offers one-stop access to: Basic legal education on over 20 topics Self-help information – Divorce; soon child support modification forms; petition for order of protection Court forms Information about South Carolina’s judicial system Information about legal services and social service organizations in the visitor’s neighborhood 14 BENEFITS TO THE PUBLIC

South Carolina Legal Services’ Offices & Counties Served Charleston Office Serving: Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Hampton, and Jasper Counties Columbia Office Serving: Lee, Lexington, Kershaw, Richland, and Sumter Counties Conway Office Serving: Georgetown, Horry, Marion, and Williamsburg Counties Pee Dee Office Serving: Chesterfield, Clarendon, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, and Marlboro Counties Greenville Office Serving: Anderson, Greenville, Oconee, and Pickens Counties Greenwood Office Serving: Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Newberry, and Saluda Counties Orangeburg Office Serving: Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun, and Orangeburg Counties Rock Hill Office Serving: Chester, Fairfield, Lancaster, and York Counties Spartanburg Office Serving: Cherokee, Spartanburg, and Union Counties Intake Requests: Centralized Intake Office:

Sources of Funding Legal Services Corporation South Carolina Bar Foundation (IOLTA) State of South Carolina – Filing Fee Add On United Ways (Greenwood, Greenville, Spartanburg, Chester, Dillon, Lancaster, Union) VOCA (to fund 2 DV attorneys) Low Income Taxpayers Grant (federal taxes only) Title III-B (to represent age 60+) SC Help

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