Welcome to the South Dakota Access to
Justice Program’s Website!
Access to Justice (A2J) is a statewide program formed by the State Bar of South Dakota to supplement legal services provided by South Dakota’s two legal aid programs (Dakota Plains Legal Services and East River Legal Services). Our pro bono (free legal help) program is designed to help the poorest of the poor in the state with family law, consumer, housing, education, health, employment, and wills/estates cases through volunteer attorneys licensed in South Dakota. An A2J Wills/Advance Directives project enables those volunteer lawyers to help the elderly and disabled who qualify financially with the preparation of simple wills and advance directives (durable power of attorney, power of attorney for health care decisions, living wills, etc.) Our modest means (reduced fee) program was developed to supplement the pro bono program, broaden access to the legal system and reduce fees for financially eligible clients. A2J’s community education component, along with articles, pro se (self-help) legal forms, links and other material posted on the statewide legal services website, provides information to all South Dakotans regarding issues that may affect their everyday lives.
If you need help with a legal problem, please visit the www.helpsouthdakota.com website to find the legal services program that serves your area and to access their program’s website. Other helpful links also appear on this page.
Please visit our “Clients” page for more information about A2J programs and projects.
Attorneys looking for ways to participate in A2J programs and projects can find that information on our “Volunteers” page.
