Click on other tabs above for information about legal aid providers and courts in your area. Below is legal information on this sub-topic. You can localize this information by clicking on the"Choose Another Location" link in the right column and selecting the area where you live.
Notice of Appeal for Pennsylvania
This packet will prepare a "Notice of Appeal" form (as well as a Civil Cover Sheet) for filing an appeal from the Magisterial District Court to the Court of Common Pleas. Instructions for filing and service will be included.
PLEASE NOTE: This is NOT a fill-in-the-blank form. You will answer questions while connected to the Internet. After you answer all the questions, the program will prepare your completed documents for you.
IMPORTANT: To use this program, you must use Internet Explorer to see the questions and Microsoft Word to print your documents.
By: North Penn Legal Services
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Petition to Waive Court Costs
Click the document title to be linked to LawHelp Interactive where you can prepare a Petition to Waive Court Fees which can be used to ask the Pennsylvania Court for permission to file legal papers for free. This form can be used in most types of court cases in Pennsylvania. Approval to waive fees is not automatic. You will need to ask the Court to approve your Petition. Instructions will be included. PLEASE NOTE: This is NOT a fill-in-the-blank form; you will need to answer questions while connected to the Internet.
IMPORTANT: To use this form, you must use Internet Explorer as your browser and Microsoft Word to print your documents.
By: North Penn Legal Services
Information from the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network
Your Right to Cancel Certain Contracts
Information on rights relating to consumer contracts
By: Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Inc.
Other Formats:
PDF File
Sales Transactions in Your Home
(Separate Website)
Information on your rights relating to sales made in your home.
By: Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Services, Inc.
Home Improvements
Informational brochure providing information when deciding whether to make home repairs.
By: MidPenn Legal Services
Predatory Lending
(Separate Website)
Information on types of predatory lending and how to protect yourself from them.
By: Community Legal Services
Predatory Mortgage Lending
(Separate Website)
Information on predatory home equity loans and what to be aware of when borrowing money.
By: Community Legal Services
Payday Loans
(Separate Website)
Answers to frequently asked questions about Payday Loans.
By: Community Legal Services
Refund Anticipation Loans & Pay Stub Loans
(Separate Website)
Information on loans obtained in anticipation of a tax refund.
By: Community Legal Services
Billing Errors
(Separate Website)
Information on your rights under the Fair Credit Billing Act.
By: Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Services, Inc.
Closed End Credit
(Separate Website)
Information on credit agreeements requiring you to repay a predetermined amount, on specific dates, making a specific number of payments.
By: Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Services, Inc.
Credit Practices Rule
(Separate Website)
Information on the Federal Trade Commission rule that applies to lenders and sellers when they sell to consumers on credit.
By: Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Services, Inc.
Creditor Lawsuits Handbook
This Handbook is for people dealing with creditor lawsuits, including information on such suits and common defenses.
By: North Penn Legal Services
Other Formats:
PDF File
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Have You Bought a Lemon? New Car Buyer's Rights
Informational Brochure outlining the consumer's rights when buying or leasing a car.
By: Northwestern Legal Services
Protect Yourself From Con Artists
Informational brochure regarding how to protect yourself from con artists and things to be aware of.
By: Northwestern Legal Services
Magisterial District Courts
Information about the procedures in Magisterial District Justice Court
By: Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Inc.
Other Formats:
PDF File
Magisterial District Judge Court - Filing Suit
This informational packet provides information on how to file a lawsuit in Magiserial District Judge Court.
By: Northwestern Legal Services
Other Formats:
PDF File
How to Sue At the Office of the Magisterial District Judge
How to file suit on small claims in your local Office of the Magisterial District Judge.
By: MidPenn Legal Services
How to Appeal From Magisterial District Court
This informational booklet from North Penn Legal Services guides you through the process of appealing a judgment from Magisterial District Court
By: North Penn Legal Services
Other Formats:
PDF File
Information from Bar Associations and Other Legal Organizations
Co-Signing for Loans and Purchases
(Separate Website)
Information on the dangers of co-signing on a loan or purchase.
By: Erie County Bar Association
What is a contract?
(Separate Website)
Information on contracts from the Allegheny County Bar Association.
By: Allegheny County Bar Association
Can I get out of a contract?
(Separate Website)
Information on contracts from the Allegheny County Bar Association.
By: Allegheny County Bar Association
What can be done about defective products, fraudulent advertising or unfair sales practices?
(Separate Website)
Information on consumer problems with defective products, fraudulent advertising or unfair sales practices.
By: Allegheny County Bar Association
What protection is there against a fraudulent seller in a credit card transaction?
(Separate Website)
Information on problems with credit card transactions.
By: Allegheny County Bar Association
Legal Briefs: The things you should know before signing a contract (Video)
(Separate Website)
Information presented on the August 1, 2006 edition of Legal Briefs on KDKA's Pittsburgh Today Live Show. (4:56)
By: Allegheny County Bar Association
Home Improvement Contracts
(Separate Website)
Information to help you when you enter into a home improvement contract.
By: Erie County Bar Association
Frequently Asked Questions - Law and the Consumer
(Separate Website)
Answers to common consumer questions.
By: Allegheny County Bar Association
Frequently Asked Questions - Youth and the Law
(Separate Website)
Answers to common questions about youth and the law.
By: Allegheny County Bar Association
Advantage Credit Counseling/Consumer Credit Counseling (Erie County)
(Separate Website)
Information on free credit counseling services in Erie County.
By: Erie County Bar Association
Bringing Suit Before a Magisterial District Judge
(Separate Website)
Consumer information pamphlet from the Pennsylvania Bar Association.
By: Pennsylvania Bar Association
Starting a Lawsuit
(Separate Website)
Information about filing a lawsuit.
By: Erie County Bar Association
Small Claims Court
(Separate Website)
Information on the operation of the Magisterial District Court in Pennsylvania.
By: Erie County Bar Association
Arbitration and Mediation
(Separate Website)
Consumer information pamphlet from the Pennsylvania Bar Association.
By: Pennsylvania Bar Association
State and Federal Courts
(Separate Website)
A description of state and federal courts in PA.
By: Erie County Bar Association
High Cost Predatory Home Loans: How to Avoid the Traps
(Separate Website)
Information on how to protect yourself by knowing the warning signs of predatory loan practices.
By: Federal Citizen Information Center
Don't Be A Victim Of Loan Fraud - Protect Yourself from Predatory Lenders
(Separate Website)
Informational brochure on loan fraud and the danger of predatory lendors.
By: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Your Rights and the Responsibilities of the Mortgage Servicer
(Separate Website)
Information for home buyers concerning your rights and the responsibility of your loan servicer.
By: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Land Sale Complaints
(Separate Website)
Information for consumers regarding fraud and abuse when buying or leasing land from developers.
By: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Reverse Mortgages for Seniors
(Separate Website)
Information about Reverse Mortgages, what they are, how they can give older Americans greater financial security, and also information on being aware of scam artists.
By: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Adobe Acrobat Reader required. (If you are using a screen reader that does not support PDF format, copy the PDF link, and use the Access Adobe online form to convert this file to HMTL text.)
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Information, Not Legal Advice. We are providing this information as a public service. We try to make it accurate as of the date noted in the materials. Sometimes the laws change. We cannot promise that this information is always up-to-date and correct.
We do not intend this information to legal advice. By providing this information, we are not acting as your lawyer. If you need legal advice, you should contact a lawyer through your local legal aid organization. Always talk to a competent lawyer, if you can, before taking legal action.
Lawyer Advertising. This web site is not intended to be advertising or solicitation. The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based on advertisements. Before hiring an attorney, you should investigate his or her reputation and qualifications.
Links. Some of the items listed here have not been prepared by us, but are instead "links" to information prepared and posted by others. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of information posted on other sites. The links are not intended to imply that we sponsor or are affiliated or associated with the persons who created those sites, nor are the links intended to imply that we are legally authorized to use any trade name, registered trademark, logo, legal or official seal, or copyrighted symbol that may be reflected in the links.
E-mail. Viewing this web site, or transmitting an e-mail message through this web site, does not create an attorney-client relationship. Sending e-mail to an attorney mentioned in this site does NOT create an attorney-client relationship between you and the attorney. Unless you are already a client of the attorney, your e-mail may NOT be protected by the attorney-client privilege. Moreover, unless it is encrypted, e-mail can be intercepted by persons other than the recipient.
Deadlines are extremely important in most legal matters. You may lose important legal rights if you do not obtain an attorney immediately to advise you. Many people do not check their e-mail daily, and some attorneys do not respond to unsolicited e-mail from non-clients.
PALawHELP.org is provided as a public service by the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the Legal Services Corporation.
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