Justice Atlas

Free Legal Aid in District of Columbia

1 LSC-funded civil legal-aid provider serves District of Columbia with $1,079,960 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)

1
LSC-funded providers
$1,079,960
Federal allocation (FY2025)
91,070
Poverty population served
This page is a reference directory of which LSC-funded providers operate in District of Columbia. 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 District of Columbia?

1 LSC-funded civil legal-aid provider receives federal Legal Services Corporation funding to serve income-eligible residents of District of Columbia. The primary program type is Basic Field (1 provider). 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 1 100%

Source: LSC Basic Field Grant Allocation, FY2025.

Which organizations provide free legal aid in District of Columbia?

The following public legal-aid organizations are LSC-funded grantees serving District of Columbia. Contact them directly for intake. This list routes to them — it does not constitute legal representation.

Organization Program type Service area Allocation (FY2025)
Neighborhood Legal Services Program of the District of Columbia Basic Field DC-1 $1,079,960

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

How much federal funding does District of Columbia receive for legal aid?

LSC-funded providers in District of Columbia received $1,079,960 in total federal legal-aid grant funding in FY2025, serving a poverty population of approximately 91,070 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 ddd9d000ee2b44c4 · machine-readable brief: /justice/states/dc.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 District of Columbia

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 District of Columbia right away. This atlas informs and routes; it is not legal advice and not a lawyer.

District of Columbia 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
Single-publication rule; standard tolling.
D.C. Code § 12-301(a)(4)
Wrongful death
2 years
Extended from 1 to 2 years by 2013 amendment.
D.C. Code § 16-2702
Contract oral
3 years
Standard tolling for minors and incompetents.
D.C. Code § 12-301(a)(7)
Contract written
3 years
repose 12 years
UCC sales 4 yrs under § 28:2-725.
D.C. Code § 12-301(a)(7)
Fraud
3 years
discovery rule
Fraudulent concealment tolls accrual.
D.C. Code § 12-301(a)(8)
Medical malpractice
3 years
discovery rule
Continuing-treatment doctrine may toll.
D.C. Code § 12-301(a)(8)
Personal injury
3 years
discovery rule
Standard tolling for minors and incompetents under § 12-302.
D.C. Code § 12-301(a)(8)
Product liability
3 years
discovery rule
No statute of repose; standard tolling.
D.C. Code § 12-301(a)(8)
Property damage
3 years
discovery rule
Recovery of real property: 15 yrs under § 12-301(a)(1).
D.C. Code § 12-301(a)(3)

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 District of Columbia · ABA lawyer referral · source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026)

District of Columbia across the Atlas Commons

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