Note: Some ILS projects, which receive specialized funding, use different eligibility guidelines dictated by their funders. These projects may have less restrictive income and assets guidelines.
In general, an applicant is financially eligible for legal assistance from Indiana Legal Services if that person’s income is within 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. (For general information about the Federal Poverty Guidelines, see Frequently Asked Questions). These guidelines were approved by the ILS Board of Directors.
In certain circumstances, an applicant can be financially eligible for assistance from Indiana Legal Services if the applicant is within 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Eligibility under the 200% income guidelines depends on the applicant’s expenses. There are other eligibility requirements in addition to income requirements. Some of these rules are:
- To be eligible, an applicant must not have $10,000 or more in countable assets (excluding a primary residence, vehicle, and some other items).
- Generally, ILS will not handle fee-generating cases unless no private attorneys will take the case.
- ILS may represent only citizens, persons with established legal immigration status, or persons without legal status who are victims of crime or trafficking.
- ILS does not handle criminal cases or cases involving juvenile delinquency, but we do help with criminal expungements and specialized driving privileges.
- ILS may provide legal assistance to a group, corporation, association or other organization if the group is composed primarily of eligible persons and the group cannot afford to hire private counsel. The group’s activities must fall within LSC regulations and ILS priorities.
ILS Client Eligibility Guidelines 2026
Last updated on February 12, 2026