VARN Pro Bono Services

Volunteer Attorneys for Rural Nevadans (VARN) provides pro bono (free) civil legal services for eligible low-income* individuals and families. VARN does not provide assistance in criminal matters. VARN provides assistance in civil legal matters by matching qualifying individuals with an attorney who will not charge for legal services. Although the attorney will not charge a fee for his/her services, you are responsible for the payment of court costs which cannot be waived or any other out-of-pocket expenses incurred on your behalf. Some of the services VARN provides and the legal areas covered include:

Family Law Matters Adoption Divorce Guardianship of an adult Guardianship of a child Termination of Parental Rights Child Custody Real Estate/Real Property Matters Homesteads Foreclosures Breach of Contract Landlord/Tenant Other Civil Legal Matters Debt Collection Labor Law/Worker’s Compensation Name Changes (uncontested) Probate (uncontested) Sealing Records Tax Issues Wills

The Nevada counties served under the pro bono program are: Carson City, Douglas, Lyon, Storey, Churchill, Mineral, Elko, White Pine and Humboldt counties.

If you need help with BANKRUPTCY, you may be able to participate in the Bankruptcy Clinic provided by Washoe Legal Services. This clinic is open to all Nevada residents, but is held only in Reno, Nevada.

*Income guidelines are not used for services provided through the Domestic Violence Victim’s Assistance Project (DVVAP).

 

ADOPTION

VARN can assist in adoptions which are uncontested.

To apply for assistance with ADOPTION click here

DIVORCE

VARN may be able to assist in uncontested divorce matters. The following requirements must be met in order for VARN to assist in an uncontested divorce:

1. You must be a Nevada resident for at least six (6) weeks. If there are minor children involved ,they must have lived in Nevada for at least six (6) months.

2. You must know your spouse’s whereabouts, or if you do not know your spouse’s whereabouts, you must be willing to pay publication costs.

If you do know your spouse’s whereabouts:

3. You and your spouse must be agreeable to all issues involved in the divorce.

4. If there are minor children of the marriage, both parties must agree to child custody, visitation and child support.

5. If there is community property (property acquired during marriage), both parties must agree how the community property should be divided.

6. If there are community debts (debts incurred during the marriage), both parties must agree which party will assume responsibility for which debts.

7. Both parties must be available to sign all the required documents which an attorney prepares. If your spouse does not live locally, the documents can be mailed to him/her.

In an uncontested divorce where both parties have signed the appropriate documents, there may not be a need for a court hearing. Once a Judge has signed the decree of divorce, your divorce is final.

To apply for assistance with DIVORCE click here

If you do not know your spouse’s whereabouts, or if your spouse is not cooperative in obtaining a divorce, you may be eligible for services through VARN’s Self-Help Divorce Clinics. To learn more about the SELF-HELP DIVORCE CLINIC click here

If you are a current or recent survivor of domestic violence and you need assistance with a divorce, whether it is contested or not, you may be eligible for assistance through VARN’s Domestic Violence Victim’s Assistance Project (DVVAP).

To apply for assistance with DIVORCE through the Domestic Violence Victims Assistance Project click here

*Income guidelines are not used for services provided through DVVAP.

FORECLOSURES AND OTHER REAL ESTATE MATTERS

VARN can provide assistance in foreclosures if the foreclosure proceedings have not been properly followed or the amount owing is disputed. VARN cannot assist with foreclosures in which the amount owed is correct and the foreclosure is a result of nonpayment. You will need to provide any documents concerning the loan and property in question and any foreclosure notices as well as records of payments made. If you feel that you do not qualify for assistance through VARN’s foreclosure program, you may find assistance through Nevada Foreclosure Help or the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program at 775- 328-2592.

VARN can also provide assistance in certain types of other real estate matters. Some of the areas of assistance in real estate matters include breach of contract, quiet title, disputes concerning deposit refunds and disputes with contractors.

To apply for assistance with FORECLOSURE or assistance with ANOTHER REAL ESTATE MATTER click here click here


GUARDIANSHIP (uncontested)

VARN can assist in uncontested guardianship matters for adults or minors as follows:

Adult Guardianships:

The adult ward would need to agree to the guardianship. Doctor or medical reports which indicate that the adult ward is not capable of taking care of himself/herself must be provided. The names and addresses of the adult ward’s relatives will need to be provided. You should be able to show good cause why you should have guardianship.

To apply for assistance with ADULT GUARDIANSHIP click here

Guardianship of a Minor:

To obtain guardianship of a minor, both parents (unless parental rights have been terminated) or legal guardians must agree to the guardianship. You will need to provide the child’s birth certificate and Social Security number and any legal documents concerning the child. The names and addresses of the child’s parents or legal guardians and other relatives will need to be provided. You should be able to show good cause why you should have guardianship. There is no court filing fee to petition the court for appointment of a guardian.

To apply for assistance with GUARDIANSHIP OF A MINOR click here

HOMESTEADS

VARN can provide assistance with homesteads. You will need to provide a copy of the title to your property which includes the legal property description. You will be responsible for the fee to record a homestead declaration.

To apply for assistance with HOMESTEADS click hereapply.php

LABOR LAW/WORKER’S COMPENSATION

VARN can assist in labor law matters which cannot be resolved by the Labor Commission. You must be able to provide documentation concerning your employment. Since Nevada is a “right to work” state, VARN cannot assist in wrongful termination cases unless you have a contract with your employer.

Generally, the Nevada Attorney for Injured Workers assists with worker’s compensation cases. However, if you have a worker’s compensation case which the Nevada Attorney for Injured Workers cannot help with, VARN may be able to assist. You will need to provide any documentation available concerning your case.

To apply for assistance with LABOR LAW/WORKER’S COMPENSATION click here

NAME CHANGES (uncontested)

VARN can assist in uncontested name changes. You should have a good reason why the name change is needed. You will need to provide a birth certificate and Social Security number. You will also need to provide the names and addresses of parents and other relatives. If a notice of the name change is required to be published in a newspaper, you will be responsible for payment of this cost
which cannot be waived.

To apply for assistance with NAME CHANGE click here

PROBATE (uncontested)

VARN can assist with uncontested probate matters. You will need to provide the original will, if one was made. You will also need to provide a death certificate, any titles to property, and a list of any assets and debts of the decedent. You will also need to provide the names and addresses of the decedent’s children and other relatives. There is no court filing fee for a probate where the value of
the estate is $2,500 or less.

To apply for assistance with PROBATE click here

TAX ISSUES

VARN may be able to assist with legal tax issues which cannot be resolved by a tax accountant. You will need to provide all documents available concerning your legal tax problem.

To apply for assistance with TAX ISSUES click here

WILLS

VARN can assist with simple wills. You will need to provide information concerning your property and assets. You should determine how and to whom your estate should be distributed. You will need to provide the names and addresses of your children (if any) and those you would like to leave any portion of your estate to. You will also need to name an executor and an alternate executor to
carry out the provisions of your will.

To apply for assistance with WILLS click here