NMRLS will give advice, brief service and/or referral on all LSC eligible cases to all eligible clients who seek services from NMRLS.

2.      Populations with Special Vulnerabilities

a.  Elderly.
b.  Individual Rights/Education (Student Rights). In cases of suspected abuse, neglect and/or financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult, report will be made to the appropriate authorities.

3.      Support for the Families

Domestic Cases.
Community surveys consistently show that family problems are the number one concern in NMRLS’ service area. This is not a surprising revelation. Whether you are young, old, middle class, or rich, basic values dictate the desire to protect family. NMRLS cannot possibly handle the many various domestic problems faced by low-income individuals in the service area. The key objective should be to protect certain interests through domestic litigation. In this light NMRLS should strive to protect children, the disabled, the elderly and those who truly need free legal services. Accordingly, acceptance of domestic cases shall be as follows:

a.  Birth Certificate Correction or Amendment
b.  Guardianship, Conservatorship and Powers of Attorney
c.  Child Custody
d.  Adoptions
e.  Filiation, Paternity, and Child Support*
f.   Modifications*
g.  Contempt*
h.  Parental Terminations
i.   Youth Court cases involving neglect, abuse and minor children in   need of supervision
j.   Visitation
k.  Wills/Deeds

4.      Safety, Stability and Health

a.  Domestic Violence and Abuse
b.  Health

5.       Maintaining Economic Stability

a.  Income Maintenance
b.  Employment
c.  Wage Claims
d. Torts
e. Consumer Cases

i.   Bankruptcy
ii.  Small Consumer Claims
iii.  Consumer Claims
iv.  Energy Assistance/Public Utility

6.      Preserving the Home

It is no longer a well-kept secret, poor people in rural area face severe housing problems. Several families may live in a single family dwelling unit. Many families cannot get on federal subsidized housing lists. It is fairly common for family status to be a major ground of discrimination. Most important, low-income tenants are evicted from their dwellings even though there is seldom a material breach of the lease.

7.      Matters

All employers of NMRLS may be involved in matters which contribute to the overall delivery of program services but does not involve direct legal advice to or legal representation of one or more specific clients. Such matters may include the following direct services:

a.   Community Education Presentation;
b.   Providing Pro Se information to potential clients, groups, or community meetings;
c.   Providing information about the availability of legal assistance;
d.   Developing written materials explaining legal rights and responsibilities;
e.   Fund raising;
f.    Intake when no case is undertaken; and
g.  Tracking substantive law developments.

8.       Emergency Situations

Should a potential client or group of clients seek services for any case or matter not herein specified and the managing attorney of the branch office deems the case or matter on which the potential client or group of clients seek assistance is of an emergency nature and cannot find services elsewhere the managing attorney is to first contact the Director of Litigation or Executive Director for verbal approval prior to undertaking any action on the client’s behalf.