Seeking Assistance

If you are seeking pro bono legal assistance, please review the General Information and Eligibility Criteria:

General Information about St. Michael’s and legal services provided:

  • A not for profit, 501(c)(3) pro bono legal services organization.
  • Governed by the canons of the Florida Bar and the Catholic Church
  • Does not discriminate based on religion, race, color, gender, or national origin
  • Serving 8 Counties: Citrus, Hillsborough, Hernando, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota.
  • No cases involving parties or matters in other counties or states

Areas of Practice

  • Family Law
    • Dissolution of Marriage* and Paternity
    • Time-sharing, Parenting Plans, Child Support
  • Post-judgment Family Law cases
  • Modification to Final Judgment etc.
  • Foreclosure defense (when related with a domestic relations case)
  • Bankruptcy
  • Family-related cases (limited)
  • Immigration
  • Wills and Probate

*Must have letter of referral from clergy or counseling professional stating that marriage is irretrievably broken.

Eligibility Criteria for St. Michael’s pro bono legal services is based on:

  • Financial Need
    • Income and Assets not to exceed 175%, with consideration up to 225% pending on size of the family, over the annual U.S. Federal poverty guidelines.
    • Income includes: basic salary and any additional compensation in the form of money such as bonuses as well as other income such as pensions, Social Security (SSI and SSD), alimony, child support, and income from rental property. Assets include checking/saving accounts, trust funds, stocks/bonds, automobiles, second homes, boats and motorcycles.
  • Type of Case/Issue Handled by St. Michael’s
    • Family law or family-related
    • Cannot consume the limited pro bono resources with complex or cases/issues that have lengthy court history.
  • Time necessary to conclude case

Please call the St. Michael’s Legal Center office at 813-289-5385 and leave a message. If the case has been filed, please provide the county and case number. If the matter has not been filed, please BRIEFLY describe the issue. Calls are normally returned within 72 hours.
Do NOT send an email requesting assistance. Your email will not receive a reply.


SMLC Clinic
The purpose of the SMLC Clinic is to aid and assist pro se litigants with the filing process of their legal documents. Through Turbo Court on the Hillsborough Clerk of Court website, the pro se litigant can input her information and Turbo Court generates a complete form to file with the courts. With the assistance of a staff member under the guidance of an attorney, the pro se litigant can ask questions, but is otherwise accountable for all of his documents.

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Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world–he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
Rev 12:7-9