There are 20 Statewide across the United States. Most offer free legal telephone advice to persons over 60. The Pennsylvania and Florida Hotlines charge.

Senior legal hotlines are in the following states: Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., Maine, Florida, West Virginia, Michigan, Texas, Ohio, New Mexico, Puerto Rico, California , Hawaii, Kansas, Mississippi, West Virginia, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, washington, New Hampshire and Tennessee. The Hotlines are staffed with attorneys who give legal advice on the phone. They are attorneys admitted to the bar of that state so all professional standards apply. The hotlines carry malpractice insurance. The service is limited to phone advice although some of the hotlines will do brief services such as review a document or write a letter for the client’s signature. They can also make referrals to more full-service type services in appropriate circumstances.

Most of the Hotlines are funded through Congressional funds in the Older Americans Act although a few are being supported by Legal Services Corporation or state bar funds. The only eligibility requirment is that the client be over 60. Except for the Pennsylvania and Florida Legal Hotline, phone advice is free although there is sometimes a small fee ($20) for a brief service or for a referral to an attorney. The Pennsylvania Hotline charges $3.00 per minute to callers who have more than $15,000 in yearly income. The Florida Hotline is free to under-income callers (same level as above) in the Miami area and is $15.00 per call to any other over 60 person in the state. The Hot Lines are all non-profit public interest agencies.

The Older Americans Act provides certain services for persons over 60 and about 5 hotlines are supported with three year start up grants from Title IV of that Act.