FAQs Archive | Eviction Defense Collaborative

Q: What if I can’t get to my lawyer before my deadline to file a response with the Court?

EDC will assist you in preparing an emergency response to ensure you do not lose by default (i.e. forfeit the match so to speak). This will buy you enough time to get to your lawyer so they may help you with a more detailed response.

Q: Will all eligible tenants receive full scope legal representation?

There may be times when attorneys are not available to provide full scope representation (representation from the beginning of a case through trial). In those situations, a tenant will receive legal assistance with responding to the unlawful detainer (eviction) lawsuit and will have an attorney for their mandatory settlement conference the week before trial.

Q: Can I choose the attorney and the non-profit that will represent me?

Each tenant who is eligible for a free attorney will go through an intake process and be assigned to an appropriate non-profit legal services organization. Because of the high demand for services tenants will not be able to choose their attorney. If a tenant does not like the free attorney assigned to them, the tenant will need to hire an attorney or represent themselves.

Q: Can tenants get a lawyer right now?

Not every tenant is eligible to receive free full scope representation, but all tenants are eligible for some legal assistance. To find out what services are available to you, please contact us or visit EDC/ our clinics during our drop in hours.

Q: I received a notice asking me to leave my home. What do I do?

Reach out to EDC! We can connect you to your lawyer once you have a notice, even if the landlord hasn’t filed an eviction case against you in court. Find our hours and contact information here.

Q: What if none of those agencies has capacity to take me on?

Good news! An EDC attorney will help you with filing an initial response to your landlord’s eviction complaint. The attorney will also provide you with an overview of the eviction process. You may be put on a waitlist for five days until an attorney becomes available. You will be given priority once capacity opens up. Agencies’ capacities can change on a daily basis. In the unlikely event that we are unable to pair you with an attorney to represent you through trial, EDC will make sure that an attorney is available in court the day of your Mandatory Settlement Conference a week before your trial to help you negotiate a resolution of the case with your landlord.

Q: What if I can’t get to my lawyer before my deadline to file a response with the Court?

EDC will assist you in preparing an emergency response to ensure you do not lose by default (i.e. forfeit the match so to speak). This will buy you enough time to get to your lawyer so they may help you with a more detailed response.