Using Self-Help & Legal Aid

You don't always need a lawyer to move a case — but you do need to know what free help can and can't do.

Self-help centers

Free courthouse desks explain procedure, help complete forms, and provide filing checklists — but they can't give strategy advice, predict outcomes, or represent you, and they stay neutral between parents. Many offer phone hotlines and video appointments, and workshops covering parentage, calculations, and enforcement (bring your paystubs, tax returns, and orders).

Legal aid and pro bono

Income-qualified parents may get advice or representation from legal aid, though intake requires proof of income and a conflict screen — and if a hearing is tomorrow, triage may be all that's possible. Legal aid represents only one parent per case.

Be an effective client

Organize your records (orders, payment history, paystubs, childcare costs, correspondence) and bring a one-page case summary with key dates and issues. Download forms only from official court websites — not unverified template sites.

Since 1997, the Houston child support lawyer team at Sinkin Law Firm has recovered unpaid support for parents statewide.