OAH Resource Center

The OAH Resource Center, also located at 441 Fourth Street, NW, Suite 450N, is a self-help center that contains a variety of resources for people and businesses with cases. 

It is open during regular business hours.  There are five computers available for access to the District of Columbia Government websites and for completing OAH forms and pleadings online. 

The following two videos are available to assist you in preparing your case:

• What to Expect at a Hearing
• Preparing for a Hearing

There are a variety of pamphlets and flyers available in English and in Spanish, including:

• What to Expect at a Hearing Booklet (Que Puede Esperar en una Audiencia)
• Understanding a Final Order (Como Entender Una Orden Definitiva)
• Understanding a Department of Public Works Notice of Violation (Lo Que Significa Un Aviso de Infracción del Departamento de Obras Públicas)
• What to Expect at an Unemployment Insurance Hearing (Apelaciones en Casos del Seguro de Desempleo)

Free Legal Help

Free in-person legal help is available for parties to cases at the Office of Administrative Hearings.  There are volunteers available to provide legal information and brief assistance with Office of Administrative Hearings cases, Monday through Wednesday, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, and Friday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Volunteers from Advocates for Justice and Education are at the Office of Administrative Hearings to assist with questions concerning District of Columbia Public Schools discipline cases on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00 am to 11:15 am, during the school year.

The Office of Administrative Hearings has partnered with several local law school clinics and public interest groups.  Information about these and other organizations that offer free legal help is also available at the Resource Center.  The Resource Center cannot provide legal advice or representation but, upon request, staff may be able to refer your case to an outside organization for free legal help.

To qualify for the free legal services of some of these organizations, you must have a low or moderate income.  Other types of free legal help are provided only to people involved in certain types of cases.  The organizations listed below provide free legal help.

General Legal Help

• DC Bar Pro Bono Program Free Legal Advice Clinic (Asesoría Legal Gratis) - this Clinc is held on the second Saturday of every month from 10:00 am to noon at two different locations.  If you have a civil legal matter governed by District of Columbia or federal law, you can meet in private with an attorney to discuss your legal problem.
• Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia (Como obtener ayuda) provides free legal aid in civil matters to individuals, families and communities in the District who could not otherwise afford to hire a lawyer.
• Small Claims Resource Center (Centro de Recursos para Reclamos de Menor Cuantía) provides to plaintiffs and to defendants without lawyers free legal and court information related to small claims issues in the District of Columbia.
• DC Bar “How to find and work with a lawyer”  (Cómo Encontrar y Trabajar Con un Abogado) - provides an online pamphlet that describes how to find and work with a lawyer.
• www.lawhelp.org - this website provides information about civil legal matters and help finding legal aid assistance in Washington, DC

Unemployment Insurance

• Claimant Advocacy Program (Usted podría recibir ayuda legal en su caso de desempleo gratis) - free legal advice is available for all claimants in District of Columbia unemployment compensation appeals to the Office of Administrative Hearings.  In certain cases, there may be free lawyers available for hearings.
• Employer Advocacy Program (Usted podría recibir ayuda legal en su caso de desempleo gratis) -Free legal advice is available for all employers in District of Columbia unemployment compensation appeals to the Office of Administrative Hearings. In certain cases, there may be free lawyers available for hearings.

Human Services, Health and Benefits

• Need Help with your Public Benefits Case? ( ¿Necesita ayuda en su caso de prestaciones públicas? ) - this flyer lists contact information for nine organizations that may be able to provide you with help for your public benefits case.
• Do you need help with Rehabilitative Services?   University Legal Services, Inc. administers the Client Assistance Program in the District of Columbia to advise residents of their rights and responsibilities under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 

Regulatory Affairs and Tax

• Consumer Law Resource Center (Centro de Recursos Sobre la Ley del Consumidor) provides to people without lawyers free legal and court information related to consumer law issues in the District of Columbia.
• District of Columbia Chamber of Commerce offers free legal information if you are the owner or operator of a business with a case at the Office of Administrative Hearings involving the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.

Schools

• Advocates for Justice and Education helps educate parents, youth, and the community about the laws governing public education, specifically for children with special needs.

Rental Housing

• Need Help with your Housing Case? ( ¿Necesita ayuda en su caso de vivienda? ) - this flyer lists contact information for nine organizations that may be able to provide you with help for your housing case.
• Landlord Tenant Resource Center (Centro de recursos para Arrendatarios-Arrendadores) provides to landlords and to tenants free legal and court information related to residential landlord-tenant law in the District of Columbia.
• District of Columbia Office of the Tenant Advocate provides free technical and legal advice to tenants about disputes with landlords and provides free representation in certain cases.
• The District of Columbia Housing Provider Ombudsman assists small housing providers who have questions or concerns about the District's housing law.