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Need Help?

Please read the following information very carefully before contacting TCRP.

Please remember that each case is different, and the following are just general guidelines. No advice will be given during any intake calls and you should speak with an attorney regarding any legal decisions you may make.

We do not handle the following types of cases: Criminal defense, parole, family law (including child support, child custody, and divorce), immigration (except for Immigrant Survivors of Domestic Abuse, or “VAWA” cases), insurance issues, IRS and tax issues, or employment discrimination cases. If you need assistance with one of these types of cases, you should call the State Bar of Texas Lawyer Referral Service at 1-800-252-9690 and ask for an attorney in your area.

Each of our three main offices have different intake procedures. Please follow these to ensure the proper handling of your inquiry. Please keep in mind that we are unable to accept inquiries about potential cases by mail or email, and can only accept phone calls during our official intake hours.

  • Austin: Our intake hours for all potential clients are: Thursday afternoons between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Intake is by phone only. Please call (512) 474-5073 during this time.  

  • El Paso: Our intake hours for all potential clients are: Thursday afternoons between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Please call (915) 532-3799 only during those times. 
    • However, intake for VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) cases are handled differently. If you are a potential VAWA client click here for more details on the VAWA intake process.
    • If you are located in the El Paso region and have a potential wage claim or labor rights case, or are interested in attending the weekly Committee meetings of the Economic Justice Program (EJP), please call 915-532-3799 x17

  • Houston: Our intake hours for most potential clients are: Monday afternoons from 3:00 p.m to 5:00 p.m. and Wednesday afternoons from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please call (832) 767-3680 only during those times.

  • South Texas: Our intake hours for most potential clients are: Tuesdays from 9:30-12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please call (956) 787-8171 only during those times. 

  • Statewide: If you are not in one of the above three areas of the state, please call the Austin office for information.

When you call during intake, you will be directed to one of our intake representatives or staff members to complete an intake interview. We try to keep these interviews to 15 or 20 minutes so that our staff can assist as many people as possible.

Our staff is here to assist you but we need to get the most important information from you in a timely manner. Also, our phone lines are often busy, so please be patient and try to call back.

You may also contact TexasLawHelp.org as a possible resource for civil legal assistance. TexasLawHelp.org is a one stop, online resource for free and low-cost civil legal assistance for those who cannot afford legal help. Learn about your rights, self-help resources, and legal aid at TexasLawHelp.org.

During the intake interview, you will be asked to provide personal contact information such as your phone number, address, date of birth, the county you live in and your ethnicity. (This information is for statistical purposes only, and will not affect the decision on accepting your case.) After collecting your personal information, the staff will then ask you specific questions about the incident you are calling about. Please be prepared to answer questions about when and where the incident happened, who was involved and what sort of assistance you are looking for. Below are some additional questions that you can expect to be asked.

  • Date of incident.
  • Account of incident, including:
  • Where did the incident occur?
  • Names of everyone who was involved (including names of witnesses.)
  • Have you contacted any other attorneys?
  • Have you contacted anyone else about the incident? Did you make any phone calls or write any letters?
  • What would you like TCRP to do for you?

Please do not send any documents before speaking with an intake representative. If TCRP needs to review any documents, our representatives will ask for them. TCRP is not responsible for the loss or destruction of any unsolicited documents.

For criminal cases: If you are charged with a crime (felony or misdemeanor) for which you could be sent to jail or prison, you are entitled to have the court appoint an attorney for you if you cannot afford one. If an attorney has not been appointed by your first court appearance, politely tell the judge you are requesting a court appointed attorney. Request an attorney at every opportunity, and do not speak with anyone about your charges until after you speak with an attorney.

For employment cases: Before TCRP can take your case, you must file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Texas Human Rights Commission, or both. Complete this step before calling TCRP. It is very important you do this as soon as possible. There are strict time limits prescribed by law.

For prison and jail cases: For cases involving someone who is currently incarcerated, you must use the prison or jail’s grievance system to attempt to resolve the problem before TCRP can help you. For information about how to file a grievance in Texas, click here. It is very important you do this as soon as possible. If you have already been released from custody, or someone died in custody, you may not need to complete this step.

If you are a DREAMer and are looking for information regarding Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, including eligibility requirements and free legal clinics, click here.

Si es usted DREAMer y busca información sobre Acción Diferida Para Llegadas Infantiles, incluyendo los requerimientos para elegibilidad y clínicas legales gratuítas, haga click aquí.

Speaking with an intake representative does not guarantee TCRP can help you or take your case. We are a small nonprofit organization, and can only help less than five percent of the people who contact us for assistance.