Practice Areas

Match the words you would use to describe what is happening, and the field of law follows from there. Searching "landlord," "security deposit," "eviction," or "housing" all lead to the same place, so use whichever word comes to mind first.

If a landlord kept your deposit, you received an eviction notice, or your apartment needs repairs, the field is housing law, which is also called landlord and tenant law. If you want a divorce, need help with custody or child support, or need protection from abuse, the field is family law. A debt collector contacting you, a lawsuit over a debt, or questions about bankruptcy belong to money and debt.

Work problems cover being fired, being owed wages, and being hurt on the job. Injuries and insurance cover accidents and claims, including a car accident. Criminal charges and records cover an arrest or a charge against you. Immigration covers status, documents, and family petitions. If a parent died without a will, or you want to write your own, look under wills, estates, and probate. A business partner who left, a contract dispute, or forming a company fall under business and contracts. Anything that does not fit these groups has its own place under other legal problems.

Many problems touch more than one field. A workplace injury, for example, involves both work and injury, so pick the closest match and try another if the first does not fit.

If you were arrested, were served with court papers, or face a filing or response deadline, check the official court or agency instructions for your state right away. Our legal guides mark urgent topics separately from planning topics such as wills and business formation, and each one names the state it covers.

Legal help depends on where you live, because laws and the firms that serve you differ by state and city. We are starting with Texas, and you can go straight to lawyers in Texas. New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana come next, followed by the rest of the country.

The State Bar of Texas takes a similar approach with its Lawyer Referral and Information Service. It starts with your county, asks about the general type of legal issue, and points you to paid, free, or reduced-fee legal resources. Availability, fees, and eligibility vary, so confirm them with whoever you contact.

Legal problems are common, and many go without help. The Legal Services Corporation's 2022 Justice Gap Study found that 74% of low-income households had at least one civil legal problem that substantially affected them in the previous year, and 39% had five or more. Low-income Americans received no or insufficient legal help for 92% of their civil legal problems. Those figures describe low-income households and civil matters only; they are not a measure of every kind of legal need.

If you have a problem and no name for it, choose the closest problem group and open its practice-area page. There you can pick a state or city, read related guides, and see firms serving that location. If you already know the term, such as probate, personal injury, or trademark, use the search box or the A to Z index instead.

If you own or work at a law firm, for law firms explains how listings work. You can claim your listing, add your firm, or review plans and pricing and the review guidelines. How listings and advertising appear is described on our attorney advertising page, and the disclaimer and about pages say who we are.

Choose the problem that most closely matches what is happening. A practice-area page will show the legal field, related information, and firms serving your area.