
Contacting Us Online
Due to limited resources, the ACLU-WA is only able to take on a relatively small number of cases – cases that will have a big impact on a large number of people. We are also unable to act as a general legal service provider or get involved in criminal cases at the trial level. Please note that the ACLU-WA only addresses matters that occur in Washington state. If you are concerned about an issue from another state, please contact that state’s ACLU office. Click here for a map of other ACLU offices.
For those issues and cases that we are not able to assist with, the ACLU-WA’s Information and Referral Program (IRP) provides legal information and referrals to other organizations, agencies and attorneys that may be in a better position to assist. Please note that the ACLU-WA is not a dispute resolution service, and the IRP will not contact other individuals or organizations on your behalf. And while the ACLU-WA’s IRP may not be able to fulfill requests for records or other information, we will do our best to direct you to organizations or agencies that may be able to assist. Please review the ways IRP can be reached below.
Write to the ACLU-WA’s IRP at the following address:
American Civil Liberties Union of Washington
Information and Referral Program
PO Box 2728
Seattle, WA 98111-2728
United States
Please note that we only respond to letters that are written to the ACLU-WA. We do not respond to copies of letters sent to other groups or organizations. Please also be aware that we cannot guarantee the safe return of any important legal paperwork or supporting documentation that you mail to us. For this reason, we advise that you do not mail original documents to IRP. IRP response times vary, but typically range between two to four weeks. E-mail responses are more prompt; if you have an e-mail address, please include it in your letter. Please see below for other information to include in your letter.
IRP counselors answer calls on the IRP line (206.624.2180), from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Please note that we do not accept voicemail messages on the IRP line.
The IRP counselor may be able to provide general legal information and referrals to other organizations over the phone but typically sends information via email or mail. Please note that the IRP counselor is unable to provide legal advice or legal recommendations. Response times vary, but typically range from one to two weeks. If you have not received an email response within one to two weeks, please check your spam or junk folders before following up with IRP.
Criminal Defense & Appeals | Landlord-Tenant Disputes | Family Law Cases (divorce, custody, etc.) |
Building Code Issues | Property Disputes | Complaints about Lawyers or Judges |
Tax Problems | Immigration Defense | Personal Injury Lawsuits |
Domestic Violence cases | Sexual Assault cases | Benefits cases (SSA, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment, etc.) |
WSBA Legal Resources Page: The Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) provides a list of legal resources available throughout Washington. |
CLEAR (Coordinated Legal Education Advice & Referral) provides civil legal services for Washingtonians with limited incomes on a wide range of civil (non-criminal) legal issues including family law, evictions, consumer, and benefits issues. |
Washington Law Help provides legal education materials and tools that give you basic information on a number of legal problems, and in some cases, detailed instructions, and forms to help you represent yourself in court. |
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) is a statewide agency that advises low-income clients of any nationality on immigration matters. NWIRP provides some pro bono assistance in both asylum and general deportation cases. |
King County Bar Association (KCBA) Neighborhood Legal Clinics offer free, limited legal advice and referrals to King County residents and Washington State residents with legal issues in King County. The clinics provide FREE 30-minute consultations with an attorney at 34 locations across King County. Attorneys determine whether the client has a legal problem, suggest possible options, and provide appropriate referrals; attorneys do not, however, provide direct legal representation. |
Lawyer Referral Services in SW Washington (Clark, Cowlitz, Skamania and Wahkiakum), King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties. makes county-specific attorney referrals for a modest fee (usually $35 - $75), which typically includes a 30-minute initial consultation. Please note after the first consultation or the first 30 minutes, the attorneys charge their regular fees. |
Moderate Means Program connects people with legal professionals offering sliding scale fees. The program has financial eligibility guidelines (gross income must be between 200% and 400% of the Federal Poverty level) and the program only handles family, consumer, housing, and unemployment benefit cases. |