The Legal Rights Center

The Legal Rights Center (LRC) primarily represents, without charge, low-income people and people of color who have been charged with misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor and/or felony crimes in Hennepin County. We also represent youth charged in delinquency court, and through our YEAR:S program, youth who may be facing suspensions or expulsions from schools throughout the Minneapolis School District.

LRC attorneys, community workers, and mediators are committed to protecting their clients' constitutional rights while assisting with the personal and social issues that often lead to the need for legal services. By addressing the broader problems, LRC seeks to restore the alleged offender to meaningful community life and reduce the likelihood of re-involvement with the juvenile or criminal justice system. Through the YEAR:S program we aim to keep students (predominantly of color) from entering the school-to-prison pipeline.

We believe that our success will result in an increase in the quality of justice for low-income people and people of color and a decrease in the social costs associated with criminal behavior.