Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services provides free, high-quality legal help to low-income people in critical civil matters. For more than 100 years, weve helped individuals and families secure and protect their basic needs, maintaining freedom from hunger, homelessness, sickness, and abuse. Because, justice matters. SMRLS mission is: To provide a full range of high quality legal services to low-income persons and eligible client groups in civil matters, in a respectful manner which enables clients to (1) enforce their legal rights; (2) obtain effective access to the courts, administrative agencies and forums which constitute our system of justice; (3) maintain freedom from hunger, homelessness, sickness and abuse; (4) empower persons and assure equal opportunity, thus, helping people to help themselves and become economically self-reliant, to the extent their individual abilities and circumstances permit.

When you call our hotline you will speak to an intake worker or "screener." The screener is not an attorney. They will get basic information from you to determine if you are eligible for our services. All applicants must be screened for eligibility. SMRLS serves low-income people in three regions: southeast Minnesota, southwest Minnesota, and the east metro. We also help agricultural workers throughout Minnesota and North Dakota. To see if you may be eligible for our services take our online eligibility survey, call 1-888-575-2954, or apply online.

Mission Statement: SMRLS mission is: To provide a full range of high quality legal services to low-income persons and eligible client groups in civil matters, in a respectful manner which enables clients to (1) enforce their legal rights; (2) obtain effective access to the courts, administrative agencies and forums which constitute our system of justice; (3) maintain freedom from hunger, homelessness, sickness and abuse; (4) empower persons and assure equal opportunity, thus, helping people to help themselves and become economically self-reliant, to the extent their individual abilities and circumstances permit. SMRLS, through a diverse, respectful and fair working environment, and legal assistance and community education activities, promotes and respects the dignity of low-income persons and seeks new and effective solutions to the critical and common legal problems of low-income persons which arise in a broad community context.