Legal Hotline
Welcome to the First Amendment Coalition’s Free Legal HOTLINE consultation service.
The HOTLIN
E gives users in California quick, free access to our lawyers—all of them First Amendment and government access specialists—at Holme Roberts & Owen, LLP, a major law firm with offices in San Francisco, for questions about government access: specifically, questions about access to government records, to agency and local government meetings and to court documents and proceedings. (We hope to expand the Hotline soon to users outside California.)
Please note what the HOTLINE is NOT: It is not for legal questions outside these areas of access law. And it does not provide legal services or legal representation, like preparing documents or appearing in court. For these you need to hire a lawyer—a process for which we can also help you. Just visit our Find a Lawyer page.
This HOTLINE service is free. However, because of high demand, members are given priority access to the HOTLINE’s attorneys. And the HOTLINE can remain free only if users, to the extent they can, support The Coalition. After receiving your legal consultation, we will ask you to join us or to make a contribution. If you can afford to help, we hope and expect that you will.
To use the HOTLINE, fill out the form below. Be sure to answer ALL questions and to describe your legal question or problem. When you’re done, click on “submit.” You will receive a confirming email immediately. A HOTLINE attorney will get back to you—typically within 48 hours—by phone or email.
One last thing: It’s very possible the HOTLINE’s lawyers have already answered your question. To save time (yours and our lawyers’), please visit our Asked & Answered page and search the database of past HOTLINE questions and answers. If you can’t find what you need, then come back here.
