Legal Services
JusticeMatters provides trauma-informed legal services that protect children and help survivors of human trafficking, and other traumas, rebuild their lives.
Our Approach
We believe that how we provide legal assistance – not just the legal services themselves – holds potential to promote restoration. Since 2011 we have been at the forefront of efforts to integrate principles of trauma-informed care in the legal profession – safety, trustworthiness, transparency, collaboration, empowerment, and choice. This commitment shapes every aspect of our work, from initial communication with a potential client through case close.
Our Services
We believe that access to justice strengthens protective factors in our community, reduces vulnerabilities to future exploitation, and equips clients to overcome legal barriers to freedom and flourishing. We assess and address each client’s range of legal needs and provide services in the following areas:
- Family Law, specializing in child custody for kinship caregivers;
- Humanitarian Immigration Law and Removal Defense, including T Visas, U Visas, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Self-Petitions, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), and Asylum/Withholding of Removal; and
- Victim/Survivor Rights Representation.
We aim to meet each client where they are and believe that recognizing an individual’s needs beyond legal representation enhances the effectiveness of the legal services we provide. We offer a holistic assessment of each client’s needs and provide our clients with opportunities to request referrals for support from other service providers should they desire legal or non-legal services outside our scope.
Pro Se Center
JusticeMatters offers a Pro Se Center in the Durham County Courthouse to serve individuals with issues related to child custody, increasing access to legal services and alleviating burdens on court personnel. Through the Center, our family law team provides limited legal representation in the form of one-time consultations to self-represented (“pro se”) individuals. The Pro Se Center was launched in 2017 through a grant from the NC Bar Association Foundation and is sustained by funding from the NC Governor’s Crime Commission and individual donors.
Location and hours: The Pro Se Center operates in the Family Court Suite at the Durham County Courthouse from 9:30am-1:30pm on Tuesdays, with some exceptions.Consultations are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Durham Immigrant Legal Assistance Program (ILAP)
JusticeMatters provides free legal screenings, consultations, and representation immigration relief and removal defense to Durham County residents. ILAP was launched in 2021 and is funded by the City of Durham to promote equity in access to legal relief and demonstrate commitment to the wellbeing of all Durham residents.
Through ILAP we increase access to trauma-informed immigration legal services, protecting our neighbors’ due process rights and securing immigration relief that impacts individual, family, and community wellbeing.
Access: Please call our intake line at 919-794-7511 ext. 2 and indicate that you are a resident of Durham County interested in immigration services. Consultations are offered on a first-come, first-served basis dependent on capacity.
Request a Legal Consultation
Notice of Nondiscrimination Rights and Protections to Beneficiaries
JusticeMatters operates its program, services, and activities in compliance with federal nondiscrimination laws. No person shall, on the basis of race, color, national origin (including limited English proficiency), disability, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or age, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any of our programs.
To file a complaint of discrimination, write Office of Civil Rights, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice (OCR), 810 7th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20531 or call 202-307-0690 (Voice) or 202-307-2027 (TDD/TTY). Individuals who are hearing impaired or have speech disabilities may also contact OCR through the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339 (TTY), 877-877-8982 (Speech) or 800-845-6136 (Spanish).
Complaints alleging discrimination can also be filed with the North Carolina Governor’s Crime Commission by writing to the NC Governor’s Crime Commission 1201 Front Street Raleigh NC 27609, calling 919-733-4564, and/or submitting the form located at: https://www.ncdps.gov/