MT launches $1 million family mediation program

The state of Montana has allocated nearly $1 million to help settle domestic cases before they ever get to court. The Montana Family Transition Project is for couples who are separating and have children. The program offers mediation, a formula for calculating child support, and legal advice for parents who need a parenting plan as …

Did you know MLSA works with HUD to help Montanans facing eviction?

MLSA was a recipient of the HUD Eviction Protection Grant, which helps MLSA empower low-income Montanans through free legal information, advice, and representation. Housing attorney Daniel Webster recently shared an informative overview of our services as well as Montana Tenant-Landlord Law. For our legal tip this week, we want to share this Housing Presentation Video …

?Our New Website is Live?

We are thrilled to share that our new and improved website, MontanaLawHelp.org, is now live! MontanaLawHelp.org is MLSA’s virtual front door where Montanans can find free materials for solving legal problems on their own, download court forms, search for community providers, and apply for legal services. Our focus for the redesign was to make it …

Will-in-a-Box

Most Native Americans in Montana own some tribal trust land. That land is usually divided into small shares. When a trust land owner passes without a will, a Probate Judge decides what happens to the land based on complicated rules. Those rules can sometimes leave younger children without any land. In other cases, the Tribe …

Education Rights

The McKinney-Vento Act is a federal law created to support students who are: sharing housing with extended family or friends; staying in motels or campgrounds; staying in shelters or transitional housing; and sleeping in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, substandard housing.     Students’ rights and required services include: Immediate school enrollment, even if students do …

Free Family Mediation

The Montana Family Transition Project, a partnership between MLSA and the Office of the Court Administrator, is a free family mediation program for separating couples with children. The program offers mediation, child support calculation, and legal advice for parents needing a parenting plan as part of their family law case. Mediation is an out-of-court way …

Did you know there is a new law to protect pregnant workers?

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) is a federal law that went into effect June 27, 2023.  It protects employees who have limitations due to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. Some examples of reasonable accommodations include: Being able to sit or drink water; Receiving closer parking; Having flexible hours; Receiving uniforms and safety apparel …

Did you know that there is a fee to file court documents?

If you can’t afford to pay the fee you can ask the judge to allow you to file your paperwork without paying the fee by filing a fee waiver form. The form is also called a “Statement of Inability to Pay Court Costs and Fees.” You can use our free interactive form to write a …

Do you know how to prepare for student loan repayment?

The COVID-19 payment pause is ending on September 1st. In October, borrowers must resume payments for the first time in more than three years. Here are steps you can take to prepare: Check your loan information by logging into studentaid.gov. Your loans may have been transferred to a new loan servicer during the pandemic. Studentaid.gov …