Service Areas

Marion-Polk Legal Aid Service (MPLAS), a field office of Legal Aid Services of Oregon, provides advice and representation to low-income citizens in Marion and Polk counties in the state of Oregon only. If you live in Marion or Polk county, but your case is filed in another state or county we cannot assist you. If your legal problem is in Marion or Polk county, but you now live in another county or state, please call our main office for eligibility information.

If you live in a county in Oregon other than Marion or Polk, or if your case is filed in another county in Oregon, click here. If you live in a state other than Oregon, click here.

Family Law

MPLAS provides advice on divorce, custody, child support, visitation and domestic violence issues. MPLAS also represents in some Family Abuse Prevention Act (FAPA) objection hearings. Pro se, or do-it-yourself, classes are also offered for simple divorce and for custody when it is considered appropriate for the client. We do not advise on adoptions or guardianships. You must come to the office and be screened for the pro se classes. They are not appropriate for everyone. There is a $10.00 charge to attend the class which covers the cost of the paperwork.

For all family law services, contact our office by either calling or by coming to the office during intake hours. The only emergency exception to the intake hours are when you are served with papers where the "respond date" is before the next scheduled intake day. If you think you have a family law emergency, please call the main office.

Housing

MPLAS provides advice and representation on evictions, public and federally-subsidized housing, poor housing conditions, and foreclosures, but we no longer can help with getting deposits back. For help with a housing issue, contact our office by either calling or by coming in during regular intake hours. We also provide a landlord/tenant law booklet which can be picked up any time during regular office hours, not just intake times. The only emergency exceptions to intake hours are when you are locked out of your residence or your utilities are turned off when the landlord is supposed to pay. If you think your housing problem is an emergency, please call the main office.

Public Benefits

MPLAS provides advice and representation in several areas of public benefits. MPLAS represents in appropriate SSI (Supplemental Security Income) disability cases; MPLAS represents in SSD (Social Security Disability) cases only when outside counsel is unavailable. Our office also represents in appropriate termination or denial of AFDC, Food Stamps, General Assistance, and Medicaid/Oregon Health Plan cases. For assistance with a public benefits issue, contact our office by either calling or by coming in during intake hours. MPLAS does not represent in overpayment cases. MPLAS will advise in unemployment compensation cases and provide representation in some cases.

Ineligible Cases

Marion-Polk Legal Aid Service cannot help with criminal issues, traffic or DUII, accident and injury cases (including worker's compensation), small claims cases, trusts (other than Medicaid income eligibility), or consumer problems.

Intake Hours

Intake hours for the MPLAS office in Salem are Tuesday from 9:00 until 11:00 a.m., and Tuesday afternoon from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m.

MPLAS office in Independence is now closed and will not reopen for the foreseeable future.

Click here for our office locations.