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| Frequently Asked Questions . . . |
| What is Bet Tzedek? Bet Tzedek is a non-profit, public interest law firm providing free legal services for the poor, elderly and disabled residents of Los Angeles County. Bet Tzedek's services are provided both by full-time staff members and by hundreds of volunteers. Bet Tzedek is an affiliated agency of the United Way and the Jewish Federation Council of Los Angeles. More about Bet Tzedek >> What does the term "Bet Tzedek" mean? Bet Tzedek is Hebrew for "House of Justice." Does Bet Tzedek help only Jewish persons? No. Bet Tzedek was founded within the Jewish community to provide services to all qualified persons in need. Bet Tzedek's clients, staff members and volunteers come from a wide variety of racial, religious and ethnic backgrounds. Does Bet Tzedek charge any money for its representation of clients? Bet Tzedek does not charge its clients for the legal work performed by Bet Tzedek staff or volunteers. Clients are responsible for paying for court fees, if any. What type of clients does Bet Tzedek represent? All of Bet Tzedek's clients have low incomes and limited savings. Bet Tzedek's clients generally must have an income at or below poverty guidelines. As mentioned above, all clients must reside in Los Angeles County. Does Bet Tzedek receive any funding from the federal Legal Services Corporation? No. Bet Tzedek receives money from a variety of sources, including the City and County of Los Angeles, the City of West Hollywood, the State Bar of California, United Way and the Jewish Federation Council of Los Angeles. However, nearly two-thirds of Bet Tzedek's funding comes from foundation grants, corporate gifts and contributions from individuals. What sort of cases does Bet Tzedek handle? Bet Tzedek handles the following types of legal issues: Alzheimer's issues, patient's rights/quality of care issues In particular, Bet Tzedek has a specialization in representing persons who are elderly or disabled. For example, Bet Tzedek has established a Nursing Home Advocacy Project in order to protect the vulnerable persons who reside in those long-term care facilities. Read about the specific programs >> What sort of cases does Bet Tzedek not handle? Bet Tzedek does not handle criminal defense, immigration, divorce, probate or cases that private attorneys will accept on a contingency basis, such as personal injury actions. Does Bet Tzedek handle every case which falls within one of its allowable subject matters? No. Bet Tzedek does not have nearly enough staff or resources to serve every person who requests help. Bet Tzedek accepts and rejects potential cases based on internal policies which attempt to ensure that our limited resources are put to the best use. How can a person determine if Bet Tzedek will handle his or her case? Please call us. If appropriate, we will set up an appointment for an initial interview. |
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Bet Tzedek is an affiliated agency of the United Way and The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles.
Bet Tzedek gratefully acknowledges the support of The Archstone Foundation for the Nursing Home Advocacy Project.
Bet Tzedek also thanks The S. Mark Taper Foundation for a two-year grant in support of the Employment Rights Project (ERP). The grant supports the community outreach and education efforts of ERP staff. The S. Mark Taper Foundation, founded in 1989, is a private family foundation dedicated to enhancing the quality of people's lives by supporting nonprofit organizations and their work in the community.