Arrested in Philadelphia, served with a PFA in Allegheny County, or staring at a crash report in the Lehigh Valley? You don't have to wait until a firm opens Monday. Call our free Pennsylvania legal hotline 24/7 and speak with our AI legal assistant, trained on Pennsylvania and federal law. Get plain-English legal information now — Commonwealth v. you, limited vs. full tort, which county court — then book a PA-licensed attorney if you need one. It's legal information, not legal advice — and it's free.
Free legal information. Not legal advice. Available 24/7 across Pennsylvania.
Pick up the phone and call 1-844-690-0555 — it's free, it's open right now, and there's no income test or sales pitch. You'll reach our AI legal assistant, trained on Pennsylvania and federal law; tell it what happened (a DUI stop on I-76, a custody emergency, an eviction notice headed to your MDJ) and it explains your options in plain English. That's legal information, not legal advice. If you've been arrested, you have the right to stay silent and to ask for a lawyer — say it out loud and stop talking. Mind your deadlines (most PA personal-injury claims are barred after two years). If you decide you need someone to actually represent you, we can connect you with a PA-licensed attorney for a paid consultation. Start with the free call.
Here's the Pennsylvania surprise that blindsides crash victims. When you bought auto insurance, you checked a box: 'limited tort' (cheaper) or 'full tort.' Under PA's choice no-fault system, limited tort generally gives up your right to sue for pain and suffering unless a 'serious injury' or another statutory exception applies. People discover this only after a wreck — too late to change it. Add the comparative-negligence bar (§ 7102): if your share of fault is greater than the defendant's, you recover nothing, and any award is reduced by your percentage. And most claims must be filed within two years (§ 5524). Before you sign anything an adjuster sends, call free and find out which box you checked and what it means for you.
If you can't afford a lawyer, Pennsylvania has a real safety net — though most of it is income-tested and runs on business hours, not at 2 a.m. when you're panicking. Our hotline is free and 24/7 for anyone, with no eligibility screen, and gives legal information rather than advice; for ongoing representation or true low-income civil help, these Pennsylvania organizations are the trusted front doors. Start with PALawHELP.org for plain-language guides and court forms, then use a referral line or your regional legal-aid program for matters they handle.
Wherever you are in Pennsylvania, the line is free and answered 24/7 — including:
I just got arrested in Philadelphia — what do I do right now?
Stay calm and stay quiet. You have the right to remain silent and the right to a lawyer — say 'I want a lawyer' out loud and then stop talking, even if officers keep asking questions. Don't try to explain your way out; in a 'Commonwealth v.' case, anything you say can be used against you. In Philadelphia your early court steps run through the Criminal Justice Center on Filbert Street, often with a bail decision soon after arrest. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, 24/7, and our AI legal assistant can explain the process and your options in plain English — legal information, not advice — then connect you with a PA defense attorney if you want one.
Is the call really free, and what's the difference from booking a lawyer?
Yes — calling 1-844-690-0555 is completely free, 24/7, with no income test. When you call, you speak with our AI legal assistant, trained on Pennsylvania and federal law. It gives you general legal information — how PA law works, what your options are, which court handles your matter — but not legal advice tailored to your specific facts, and it won't draft your pleadings or predict your outcome. If you decide you want someone to actually represent you, that's the one paid step: we can connect you with a PA-licensed attorney for a consultation. Free information first; paid representation only if you choose it.
Do I need a lawyer for a first DUI in Pennsylvania, and what is ARD?
Pennsylvania grades DUI by blood-alcohol tier under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3802 — general impairment, high BAC, and highest BAC — each with escalating mandatory penalties, so even a 'first offense' is serious. First-time, lower-risk drivers may qualify for Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD), a diversionary program that, if completed, can avoid a conviction and allow later expungement of the ARD record. But acceptance is at the District Attorney's discretion and usually must be sought early, county by county. Call free at 1-844-690-0555 to understand whether ARD might fit your situation — that's information, not advice — then book a DUI attorney to actually apply.
How fast can I get a PFA in Pennsylvania if I'm in danger?
Fast. Under the PA Protection From Abuse Act (23 Pa.C.S. Ch. 61), someone facing abuse by a family or household member, intimate partner or certain others can often get a temporary (ex parte) PFA order the same day, without the abuser present — it typically lasts about 10 days, until a final hearing in the Court of Common Pleas. Relief can include no-contact, removing the abuser from a shared home, and surrender of firearms. You can file pro se, and legal aid commonly helps. If you're in immediate danger, call 911 first. Then call 1-844-690-0555 free to understand the PFA steps for your county — legal information, not advice.
What is Clean Slate, and is it the same as expungement?
Not the same — and people mix these up constantly. Pennsylvania was the first state to enact automatic record-sealing (Clean Slate, Act 56 of 2018, later expanded). Many non-convictions, summary offenses after about five arrest-free years, and certain lower-level misdemeanors after about ten arrest-free years can be sealed automatically as 'limited access' — hidden from most employers and landlords. But sealing is NOT expungement: law enforcement, courts and certain federally regulated employers can still see the record. For true expungement (destroying the record) or a pardon you usually need a petition. Call 1-844-690-0555 free to learn which path fits your record, then book an attorney to file if needed.
How long do I have to file a personal-injury claim after a Pennsylvania crash?
Generally two years from the date of injury, under 42 Pa.C.S. § 5524 — miss it and your claim is usually barred forever. That's why urgent callers shouldn't wait. Two other PA rules matter just as much: whether you chose 'limited tort' or 'full tort' on your auto policy can decide if you can sue for pain and suffering, and the comparative-negligence rule (§ 7102) means if your share of fault is greater than the defendant's, you recover nothing. Before you talk to an insurer or sign anything, call 1-844-690-0555 free to understand your deadlines and options — information, not advice — then book an injury attorney.
My landlord is evicting me — which court handles that in PA?
In most of Pennsylvania, landlord-tenant and eviction cases start before your local Magisterial District Judge (the MDJ); in Philadelphia they go through the Municipal Court instead. There are required notice periods and a hearing date, and you generally have rights and possible defenses even if you owe rent — but deadlines move quickly, and not showing up usually means you lose by default. Free statewide help and forms are at PALawHELP.org. To understand your specific situation and timeline, call 1-844-690-0555 free, 24/7, for plain-English legal information, then book a PA attorney or connect with local legal aid if you qualify.
Do you have a Spanish-speaking option? ¿Hay ayuda en español?
Pennsylvania has large and growing Spanish-speaking communities in Philadelphia, Reading, Allentown and Lancaster, and legal questions don't pause for a language barrier. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, 24/7, to get plain-language legal information about Pennsylvania and federal law. If you need ongoing representation, we can work to connect you with a PA-licensed attorney — and many regional legal-aid programs and the bar referral services (PBA at 1-800-692-7375) can help identify Spanish-speaking lawyers. Llame gratis para recibir información legal — no es asesoría legal — y, si lo necesita, le ayudamos a contactar a un abogado con licencia en Pennsylvania.
How do I find a lawyer near me in my Pennsylvania county?
Pennsylvania has 67 counties, each with its own Court of Common Pleas, so the right lawyer is one licensed in PA and familiar with your county's practices. You can use a bar referral service — the Pennsylvania Bar Association line at 1-800-692-7375 covers the 47 counties without their own service (about a $30 fee for a 30-minute consult), or the Philadelphia Bar's LRIS at (215) 238-6333 ($35 for 30 minutes). Or skip the runaround: call 1-844-690-0555 free, 24/7, get plain-English information about your issue first, and if you want representation we can connect you with a PA-licensed attorney for a paid consultation.
Is this legal advice, and can the AI represent me in court?
No on both counts — and we're upfront about it. Our hotline gives legal information, not legal advice: it explains how Pennsylvania and federal law generally work, but it won't apply the law to your exact facts as 'advice,' draft your court documents, or predict how your case will end. Under Pennsylvania law (42 Pa.C.S. § 2524) only licensed attorneys may practice law, and only a PA-licensed lawyer can represent you in court. Think of the free call as your fast, honest first step to understand your situation. If you need someone to actually represent you, call 1-844-690-0555 and we can connect you with a qualified PA attorney.
Are you a PA-licensed attorney in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, the Lehigh Valley or anywhere across the Commonwealth's 67 counties? We send ready-to-act clients to qualified local lawyers. Join our referral network to receive consultation bookings in your practice areas and county. Get in touch to learn how it works.
General legal information, not legal advice. We research every page from primary sources — legislation, the courts, and government legal-aid bodies — and check it for accuracy. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at admin@platfirm.ai.
Whether you're facing a DUI charge in Pittsburgh, a PFA hearing in Norristown, an eviction headed to your MDJ, or a crash on the Schuylkill, you can get answers right now. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, 24/7 — speak with our AI legal assistant, trained on PA and federal law, for plain-English legal information (not legal advice), then book a Pennsylvania-licensed attorney if you need one. No income test. No waiting room. Just pick up the phone.
Free legal information. Not legal advice.