By Betsy Finklea
Cliff McBride of South Carolina Legal Services was the guest speaker at the Dillon County Council for the Aging’s annual meeting held recently.
McBride said for the last couple of years, South Carolina Legal Services has been awarded Pee Dee Area Agency on Aging money to handle the legal affairs of people over the age of 60. “We’re here to help you,” McBride said.
McBride explained that South Carolina Legal Services is a statewide law firm that helps low-income people with their civil legal problems. McBride said they do not do any criminal work and they take on no cases that a lawyer will take on a contingency fee basis. He said that they take cases that one would have to pay a lawyer to handle.
South Carolina Legal Services is a non-profit firm. They receive federal funding and various grants. McBride said usually if someone is eligible for food stamps, they are eligible for help from South Carolina Legal Services.
McBride said they handle several types of cases such as education cases, employment cases, family law, consumer cases, public benefits cases, probate, etc. He said they have a section that works with migrant farm workers, lawyers who do federal income tax, and lawyers who work with federal income tax.
McBride said they do community education and talk to groups about whatever area of law that they want.
McBride said they will come to groups, churches, etc. and can do presentations at night and on Saturdays. To request a speaker, please call their office.
McBride said there is free information available online at http://www.LawHelp.org/SC. Hundreds of free legal resources are at this site.
