CNNdotCOM Tools: Legal services online

VIDEO CNNdotCOM looks at the ins and outs of legal searches Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     QUICKVOTE How did you find your lawyer? a. Online b. Recommendation from someone c. Television commercial d. Print advertisement View Results     RESOURCES Become a legal eagle with these Web sites

From James Hattori
CNNdotCOM Correspondent

(CNN) -- The Internet can't spare you the legal expense of hiring an attorney, but it can direct you on whether you need a lawyer and how to find one.

"If you got a traffic ticket and you want to fight it, there are some sites that will give you some strategies for how to do that," said PC World Editor Ed Albro. "If you think maybe somebody is sexually harassing you at work, there are some sites that will give you some guidelines on what is sexual harassment and what isn't."

And most of these services are free. Albro named Nolo.com one of the best sites for explaining legalese in understandable terms that can help you determine whether you really need a lawyer. One of the site's main features, Ask Auntie Nolo, is the Dear Abby of law, providing FAQs on topics such as renter's security deposits. Answers discuss how much your landlord can charge for a security deposit and the rules for returning deposits.

For a more interactive consultation, you can chat live with a lawyer, but prepare to wait in line a while. At FreeAdvice.com, you can submit a request and chat online with a lawyer or law student.

Perhaps one of the more helpful features online legal sites provide is the ability to download legal forms. Sites like EstatePlanningLinks.com charge between $10 and $25 per legal form, but the toughest part is choosing the right one. Most legal Web sites give little help in indicating which forms meet your needs.

Be aware that most sites, like Lawyers.com and LegalMatch, are set up to direct you to a lawyer. The attorneys have paid to be listed, so while the Web site helps you narrow your search, you won't receive a comprehensive listing of all lawyers in your area and their specialties.

PC World

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