Almost one in every three women in America have reported being physically or sexually abused by a husband or boyfriend, and thousands of women in Illinois have suffered such abuse, according to the Illinois Attorney General's office.

The Legal Aid Bureau helps provide domestic violence victims with immediate and long-term safety by:

• Obtaining orders of protection
• Preventing/reversing parental kidnapping
• Obtaining custody with safe visitation arrangements
• Obtaining financial support for children and abuse victims
• Obtaining fair division of debts and property
• Dissolving abusive marriages

Issues that arise during the break-up of a marriage are governed by domestic relations law. The Legal Aid Bureau specializes in several areas of family law, helping provide families with financial and emotional stability at this critical time by:

• Offering advice appointments with experienced family law attorneys
• Recruiting private attorneys to handle uncontested divorces
• Operating a Child Support Clinic to help parents enforce support orders

Thousands of older adults experience abuse that can be physical, emotional or financial. Often the victims are women - the largest numbers suffering financial exploitation at the hands of an adult child or other family member.

For those not threatened by abuse, there are other concerns. Managing finances, protecting their home from shady lenders, and handling the demands of raising grandchildren are a few of the major issues many older adults face.

The Legal Aid Bureau provides multiple services that help empower older adults by protecting or removing them from abusive situations and connecting them with counsel and resources that help them to make the most of life.

Legal services for adults age 62 and older include:

• Securing orders of protection for victims of physical abuse and financial exploitation
• Establishing financial and health care powers of attorney
• Establishing guardianships to manage finances and maintain independent living
• Representing grandparents who are raising their grandchildren to address support, custody and visitation issues
• Advising and representing on limited family law issues, including grandparent visitation, divorce and estate planning
• Assisting with landlord/tenant disputes
• Presenting "Know Your Rights" workshops

From landlord/tenant disputes and Section 8 terminations to homeowners dealing with mortgage foreclosures and unfair predatory loans, the Legal Aid Bureau represents clients on various housing and consumer issues.

Legal problems we help with include:

Housing

• Education, advice and representation
• Evictions, Security Deposits and Lock-outs
• Section 8 Vouchers
• Mortgage Foreclosure
• Clear Title and Liens

Consumer Law

• Education, advice and representation
• Unfair Debt Collection Practices
• Predatory Lending (Pay Day Loans, Installment Loans, etc.)
• Public Utilities

Public Benefits

• Advice/referral only
• Applying for public benefits and appealing reductions, termination and denial of these benefits

Services are provided at two South Side locations. For more information, call:

South Side

Metropolitan Family Services Calumet Center
235 East 103rd Street
Chicago, IL 60628
773-371-3697

Southwest Side

Metropolitan Family Services Midway Center
3843 West 63rd Street
Chicago, IL 60629
773-884-2290

Learn about your legal rights regarding consumer, renters and homeowners issues! Take part in our free workshops and events.

For families, fighting in court is not the best or only way to resolve disputes, especially when it comes to divorce and child custody.

The Legal Aid Bureau offers couples a healthier option through the "Collaborative Dispute Resolution Project."

In collaborative law, the goal is to minimize conflict while reaching a resolution. Clients and counsel create an agreement based on the family's needs - legal, financial and emotional - without going to court. Other professionals help in the process, such as divorce coaches and child specialists. After the process is complete the agreement is approved by a judge and becomes legally binding.

The Collaborative Dispute Resolution Project is made possible through a partnership with Chicago Volunteer Legal Services and the Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago. A licensed clinical social worker helps guide the process as a neutral team member and coaches parents on how to manage the separation with the least impact on their children. Financial assessments and evaluations are provided by volunteers from Navigant Consulting, Inc.