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SpanishWashoe County Detention Center Inmate Resources
While in custody, inmates in Northern Nevada face various legal issues that go far beyond the criminal matter for which they are incarcerated (Not applicable for inmates that have been released).
We provide legal resources to help with inmates’ civil legal matters. While we don’t provide direct legal representation or help with inmates’ criminal cases, we do serve inmates in civil matters that must be addressed while incarcerated.
Lawyers For Inmate Rights: Who Northern Nevada Legal Aid Helps
Incarcerated people have rights. One of those rights is the right to access legal information while in custody. While many jails and prisons have traditional law libraries available to inmates, the Washoe County Detention Center does not. Instead, Northern Nevada Legal Aid works to provide inmates the civil legal resources they need to protect their interests while incarcerated.
We are proud to offer legal help for prisoners
We are proud to offer free legal help for prisoners in the Washoe County Detention Facility—and that includes all inmates. If you have a civil legal matter to resolve, we have an answer or resource that might help. The following are some of the legal matters we help inmates with:
- Civil rights packet
- Divorce
- Powers of attorney
Our team may be able to provide information and resources regarding other civil legal matters. If you don’t see your legal problem in the list above, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Even if we can’t help you directly, we can still point you in the right direction.
Legal Help For Inmates: Frequently Asked Questions
During a period of incarceration, life on the outside can feel distant. And when legal issues come up, it can feel confusing. If you have a lot of questions, you’re far from alone. We have answered some of the more common questions inmates have below. Please note that in order to receive our assistance, an inmate must initiate the request.
Northern Nevada Legal Aid cannot help prisoners with any criminal legal matter. We can, however, provide information, a civil rights packet, and we provide a notary service for power of attorney needs.
Because we are not criminal defense lawyers, we cannot bail you out of jail or even advise you on how the bail process works. We can, however, provide the contact information for your attorney, the court relevant to your case, or a list of bail bond companies that may be able to help.
Northern Nevada Legal Aid cannot initiate or take legal action on your behalf. However, we can provide information and resources that you can use to take the legal action you are seeking. For example, if you want to initiate divorce proceedings, we won’t fill out and file the paperwork with the court, but we can send you the appropriate forms.
Our services for inmates are not available to inmates’ family members or friends. Any legal question or request for resources must come directly from the incarcerated person.
If you are looking for information about the criminal case of an incarcerated loved one, we cannot provide assistance directly to you. Please contact the appropriate criminal court or the inmate’s criminal defense attorney to discuss legal advice for inmates.
