Legal Aid for Youth & Teens
TRLA represents, advises, and advocates for young people facing a range of legal, educational, and economic problems.
TRLA’s Education and Special Education Team helps students, including those with disabilities, handle school-related issues;
The Juvenile Justice Team represents young people facing criminal charges, including Class C misdemeanors;
Texas Foster Youth Justice Project helps current and former foster youth understand and protect their legal rights.
TRLA may also be able to help if you’re a young person living in homelessness and need assistance with legal issues related to housing, securing CPS documents, and public benefits. For help with these problems, please call our general legal services hotline (833) 329-8752 TRLA staff will guide you through the application process.
Juvenile Justice
HOTLINE (833) 329-8752
TRLA’s Juvenile Justice Team helps youth charged with a crime in a Justice of the Peace (JP) or municipal court, including Class C misdemeanor offenses such as truancy/failure to attend school, assault, disruption of classes, and disorderly conduct. The team also works with students on issues such as sealing juvenile records, emancipation, and sex offender de-registration. If you need these kinds of legal services, you can call our hotline. TRLA intake workers can help you with the application process. You can use our online screening form. Initial Screening for Education/Juvenile Justice Legal Aid. Please keep in mind that filling out the form is only the first step in the process of applying for free legal aid.
Texas Foster Youth Justice Project
HOTLINE (877) 313-3688
The Texas Foster Youth Justice Project helps current and former foster youth understand and protect their legal rights such as the right to a safe home free of sexual, physical or emotional abuse, to medical and dental care, to copies of their records, and to influence decisions about their own medical care. The project also helps youths cope with the various financial, housing, and employment issues that arise as they age out of the foster care system. To reach the Project, please call (877) 313-3688 or go to this website.
Education and Special Education
HOTLINE (833) 329-8752
Is your child…
Experiencing bullying or harassment at school?
Struggling to learn and falling behind?
Having behavioral problems or disciplinary issues that are affecting his or her ability to learn?
Has your child…
Been suspended, expelled, or sent to alternative school?
Been referred to juvenile court or probation for discipline problems at school?
Is your child’s school…
Refusing to evaluate your child for special education?
Refusing to provide your child with services she or he needs to be successful?
If your child is experiencing any of these problems, TRLA’s Education and Special Education team may be able to help. You can call the general legal services hotline listed above or fill out the Initial Screening for Education/Juvenile Justice Legal Aid. Please keep in mind that TRLA assists low-income families and that your family must meet state and federal income-eligibility requirements. The initial screening form is the first stage of a longer application process.
Su hijo/hija esta…
¿Sufriendo de intimidación/"bullying" o acoso en la escuela?
¿Teniendo dificultad con el aprendizaje y se esta atrasando?
¿Teniendo problemas de conducta o problemas disciplinarios que están afectando su capacidad de aprender?
Su hijo/a ha. .
¿Fallado una prueba STAAR?
¿Sido suspendido, expulsado o enviado a una escuela alternativa?
¿Sido referido a un tribunal de menores o libertad condicional por problemas de disciplina en la escuela?
La escuela de su hijo/a . .
¿Se ha negado a evaluar a su hijo/a para educación especial?
¿Se ha negado a proporcionar a su hijo/a los servicios que necesita para tener éxito?
¿Se ha negado a permitir que su hijo/a asista a la escuela?
Para obtener ayuda legal con estos y otros asuntos, llame al (833) 329-8752 o use nuestra aplicación sobre el internet en el siguiente enlace.
Aplicaciones sobre el internet.