by johnnyFive

The title says it all, basically. I'm working with a refugee resettlement charity in my town to provide some basic legal and civics information to their staff and clients.

I can't provide them with too many specifics, because that starts to get dangerous: both since the law is complicated and because I don't want to encourage the unauthorized practice of law.

Here're the topics I have so far:

1. General overview/breakdown of state and federal court systems

2. Information regarding key state and federal agencies - what they do and how they interact/overlap with the court system (e.g. EEOC)

3. Recent decisions, trends, and/or debates in immigration law that may impact immigrant and/or refugee communities

4. Recent decisions, trends, and/or debates regarding welfare and benefits programs that may impact immigrant and/or refugee communities

5. Information regarding process for obtaining citizenship

6. Describe basics of criminal and civil litigation, including how the processes differ

     - If someone gets arrested or in criminal trouble, what are the steps they should expect?
     - Are there ways in which a client might become involved with civil litigation (e.g. third-party subpoena)?
     - Instructions for obtaining case information (including checking dockets online)

7. Unauthorized practice of law: what a non-lawyer may and may not do

8. Basics of landlord/tenant law (emphasis on practical things, e.g. how evictions happen, what to do if the landlord won't fix something)

Is there anything else that you'd include in a basic "How to America"?

Also, if you have any recommendations for a good host for all this information, I've created a separate thread on that question.