Veterans Law Project

Visit the Clinic By Appointment

The MMLS Veterans Legal Project is a weekly by-appointment-only clinic, conducted at the Mid Missouri Legal Services office located at 117 North Garth Avenue, Columbia, MO 65203. Our office is located one block north of the Columbia Public Library, just west of downtown Columbia. We have a strict policy of not taking drop in-visitors.

To apply call (573) 442-0116.

Costs

Our legal services are always free. However, there may be situations where you will be required to pay filing fees, court fees, document costs, and other related expenses.

Our Services

MMLS provides two types of services: (1) Legal Representation, and (2) Legal Counseling.

Legal Representation is when one of our attorneys agrees to take your case and you become our client. forming the attorney-client relationship requires 1) that you qualify for MMLS services, 2) Your case is listed as a priority for MMLS, and 3) MMLS has an attorney available and qualified to handle your case.

Legal Counseling is when one of our attorneys meets with you, listens to you describe your situation, possibly performs some legal research, and then discusses your case with you. They may also help you look for an attorney in your area whom you could hire. They may help you find the correct court forms so you can represent yourself in court. Where applicable, we also work to connect you with a wide variety of the veteran’s support organizations in our community.

List of MMLS Civil Legal Services

Qualifying For Legal Representation

There are three qualification factors we consider before we can provide legal representation to a veteran.

  1. DISCHARGE: The veteran must have a DD-214 stating they have an other than dishonorable discharge.
  2. RESIDENCE: The veteran must live within our eleven (11) county service area, and
  3. INCOME: The veteran must be income qualified for the various legal services we offer. Determining if a veteran is income qualified is a pretty complex process. The best way to determine if you are qualified is to call (573) 442-0116 and apply.

Legal Representation is when one of our attorneys agrees to take your case and you become our client. forming the attorney-client relationship requires 1) that you qualify for MMLS services, 2) Your case is listed as a priority for MMLS, and 3) MMLS has an attorney available and qualified to handle your case.

Qualifying For Legal Counseling

There are only two qualification factors we consider before a veteran can qualify for legal counseling.

  1. DISCHARGE: The veteran must have a DD-214 stating they have an other than dishonorable discharge.
  2. RESIDENCE: The veteran must live within our eleven (11) county service area.

Legal Counseling is when one of our attorneys meets with you, listens to you describe your situation, possibly performs some legal research, and then discusses your case with you. They may also help you look for an attorney in your area whom you could hire. They may help you find the correct court forms so you can represent yourself in court. Where applicable, we also work to connect you with a wide variety of the veteran’s support organizations in our community.

To apply call (573) 442-0116.

Civil Law

Qualified Veterans who have civil legal problems that fall within the scope of MMLS’s priorities are assisted by MMLS pro bono or staff attorneys. MMLS provides representation to veterans in a wide range of civil issues, including problems identified in the V.A.’s “CHALLENGE” Survey that are particularly troubling to veterans, such as restoration of driver’s licenses and child support modifications. 

List of MMLS Civil Legal Services

Criminal Law

MMLS does not provide assistance in any criminal issue, including traffic tickets. For assistance with these matters, you may contact your local public defender office or the Missouri Bar Lawyer Referral Service at (573) 636-3635. However we will do our best to help you locate an attorney practicing in the criminal law area most applicable to your situation.

Find Law’s List of Criminal Law Charges A to Z

Referrals