No. Normally, when the State accuses you of committing a crime, you have a right to a free court-appointed attorney if you cannot afford a lawyer. Because the property is named as the defendant in the lawsuit, you do not have that right in a forfeiture case.
Fortunately, even though you don?t have the right to a free, court-appointed attorney, there may be free or low-cost options available to help defend against forfeiture.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Texas State Bar, and other legal aid organizations may be able to provide legal support in some cases. Other legal aid organizations include:
- Lone Star Legal Aid
- Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid
- Legal Aid of Northwest Texas
- Houston Volunteer Lawyers Association
- Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program
Unfortunately, each of these organizations has limited capacity, and in some cases, no free legal resources may be available.