BEFORE SUBMITTING THE LEGAL HELP FORM , PLEASE REVIEW THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
The ACLU of Oregon legal program engages in a specific type of court work, what we call “impact litigation.” Impact litigation refers to lawsuits that provide the opportunity to make legal change that defends or advances the rights of many people. It does not typically include private disputes between private individuals. We are also not a general legal service provider. In short, we file lawsuits that we hope will change Oregon’s legal systems to be more just, equitable, and caring.
This means we turn away a lot of people who may have had their rights violated, have experienced injustice, and/or may have a valid legal case.This is especially challenging when we know that someone has experienced harm or wrongdoing. However, we know that we must remain focused on our unique role in the larger justice ecosystem that includes many partners, service providers, and people committed to making Oregon a democracy of, by, and for everyone.This is why the ACLU of Oregon keeps its focus narrow and invests in community partnerships. For example, we collaborate with CLEAR Clinic to provide advocacy tools and resources to people in Oregon’s jails or prisons who are being systematically harmed by the government. You can read more about that partnership here.
The ACLU of Oregon especially encourages people who are incarcerated and public school students to send us your requests for legal help as we are able to more actively respond to these complaints with targeted resources that empower you to advocate for your rights.
As you submit, please keep in mind —
- Your request for legal help must be about a violation of your rights that occurred in Oregon. If it did not, you can use the national directory of ACLU offices to contact the office for the state where the violation occurred.
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Submitting a request for legal help does not guarantee a response and does not mean the ACLU of Oregon will provide legal assistance.
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Be aware of deadlines. Missing legal deadlines could prevent you from fighting for your rights. If you may have a court, administrative, or other deadline, you should continue to seek legal assistance. Do not wait for the ACLU of Oregon.
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The ACLU of Oregon maintains the confidentiality of all information we receive. We will always seek your permission before we share any information with other legal organizations while reviewing requests for legal help.
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Please only submit one request for legal help per person, and we will contact you if we need further information to evaluate your request.
If you would like to submit a request for legal help with a violation of your rights in Oregon but have difficulty accessing our online Legal Help Form below, you may send your request to:
ACLU of Oregon Legal Intake
PO Box 40585
Portland, OR 97240
**If you or your loved one are incarcerated, please send your letter “Attention: Prison/Jail Intake."