Justice Atlas

Free Legal Aid in California

11 LSC-funded civil legal-aid providers serve California with $55,747,189 in federal legal-aid funding (FY2025) — per the Legal Services Corporation Basic Field Grant Allocation data.

Last updated: June 21, 2026 · Source: LSC Basic Field Grant Allocation (FY2025)

11
LSC-funded providers
$55,747,189
Federal allocation (FY2025)
4,588,680
Poverty population served
This page is a reference directory of which LSC-funded providers operate in California. It informs and routes to free civil legal help. It does not give legal advice, represent clients, or predict case outcomes. To get help, contact the providers listed below or use lsc.gov/find-legal-aid or lawhelp.org.

Where do I get free legal aid in California?

11 LSC-funded civil legal-aid providers receive federal Legal Services Corporation funding to serve income-eligible residents of California. The primary program type is Basic Field (11 providers). All listed organizations offer free or reduced-cost civil legal help. Eligibility is typically set at 125% of the federal poverty level.

Program type Providers Share
Basic Field 11 85%
Agricultural Worker 1 8%
Native American 1 8%

Source: LSC Basic Field Grant Allocation, FY2025.

Which organizations provide free legal aid in California?

The following public legal-aid organizations are LSC-funded grantees serving California. Contact them directly for intake. This list routes to them — it does not constitute legal representation. One row per LSC service-area grant — an organization may hold more than one (the 11 organizations below hold 13 grants).

Organization Program type Service area Allocation (FY2025)
Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles Basic Field CA-29 $7,146,969
California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. Basic Field CA-31 $6,483,119
Inland Counties Legal Services, Inc. Basic Field CA-12 $6,091,858
Bay Area Legal Aid Basic Field CA-28 $6,077,900
Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County Basic Field CA-30 $5,601,424
Legal Services of Northern California, Inc. Basic Field CA-27 $5,019,313
California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. Agricultural Worker MCA $4,571,473
Community Legal Aid SoCal Basic Field CA-19 $4,477,012
Central California Legal Services Basic Field CA-26 $3,763,684
Legal Aid Society of San Diego, Inc. Basic Field CA-14 $3,461,331
Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance, Inc. Basic Field CA-2 $1,696,585
California Indian Legal Services, Inc. Native American NCA-1 $1,332,026
California Indian Legal Services, Inc. Basic Field CA-1 $24,495

Source: LSC Basic Field Grant Allocation, FY2025. Provider names are public LSC grantees.

How much federal funding does California receive for legal aid?

LSC-funded providers in California received $55,747,189 in total federal legal-aid grant funding in FY2025, serving a poverty population of approximately 4,588,680 residents eligible for LSC-funded services.

Sources & provenance

Every figure on this page comes from the Legal Services Corporation Basic Field Grant Allocation (source id src:lsc:basic-field-grant-allocation:2026), FY2025, published by the Legal Services Corporation: lsc.gov/grants-grantee-resources/our-grant-programs/basic-field-grants.

Provider names listed are public LSC grantees. Allocation figures are FY2025 federal grant amounts. Poverty population figures reflect LSC-defined service areas and are omitted where not reported.

Data exported June 21, 2026 · content hash e750a9661824f14f · machine-readable brief: /justice/states/ca.context.md

Get help now: Use lsc.gov/find-legal-aid or lawhelp.org to find a legal aid provider in your area and begin the intake process. This page does not provide legal advice or representation.

Recorded · Civil statute of limitations

How long you have to file a civil claim in California

Read this before the table — it matters more than the numbers.

These are the statutes as written. They are not your deadline. When the clock starts (the “accrual” date) and whether it pauses (tolling, the discovery rule, a minor or incapacity) depends on the specific facts of your situation — and a missed deadline can permanently and irreversibly bar your claim. If you think you may have a claim, do not rely on this page to calculate your time: talk to a licensed attorney in California right away. This atlas informs and routes; it is not legal advice and not a lawyer.

California sets a statute of limitations for each kind of civil claim — the window, counted from when the claim accrues, within which a lawsuit must be filed. Below are 9 common civil claim types (the shortest is 1 year), shortest deadline first.

Claim type Time limit Statute
Defamation (libel / slander)
1 year
Standard tolling for minors and incompetents.
 Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 340(c)
Medical malpractice
3 years (1 yr after discovery)
discovery rule repose 3 years
Minor tolling under § 340.5; MICRA framework.
 Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 340.5
Contract oral
2 years
Standard tolling for minors and incompetents.
 Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 339
Personal injury
2 years
discovery rule
Tolling for minors and insanity under § 352.
 Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 335.1
Product liability
2 years
discovery rule
No general repose; standard tolling for minors.
 Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 335.1
Wrongful death
2 years
Med-mal wrongful death follows § 340.5; standard tolling.
 Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 335.1
Fraud
3 years
discovery rule
Standard tolling for minors and incompetents.
 Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 338(d)
Property damage
3 years
discovery rule
Personal injury follows § 335.1 (2 yr); discovery rule applies.
 Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 338
Contract written
4 years
UCC sales 4 yrs under Com. Code § 2725.
 Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 337

What these figures are

  • RECORDED — each period and statute citation is the statute as written; verify it at the linked official code. Last verified 2026-04-29.
  • NOT YOUR DEADLINE — accrual, tolling, the discovery rule, and exceptions make your actual deadline fact-specific. Only a licensed attorney can tell you your date.

Find help: free civil legal-aid in California · ABA lawyer referral · source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026)

California across the Atlas Commons

The same state, in the other source-backed Atlas Commons domains.

Care →
hospital & provider quality
Finance →
lending, banks & complaints
Property →
natural-hazard risk