It seems like more and more Americans are getting involved in legal issues concerning their daily lives. FindLaw recently completed a survey that found that one in five Americans faced a legal issue that could have led to hiring an attorney in 2009. One in ten did hire an attorney.

There have been a host of reasons for why there is such a need for legal help. First, it is easy for Americans to forget how interwoven legal issues concerning their daily activities can be.

“The law intersects our lives in numerous ways every day,” said Stephanie Rahlfs, an attorney and editor with FindLaw.com. “Our personal, financial and work lives are constantly impacted by laws, whether it’s conditions of our employment; buying, selling or renting housing; contracts; divorce; as well as many other aspects of our lives. With the current economy, it’s not surprising that many Americans say they are facing legal issues involving housing, bankruptcy and other financial issues…”

With that in mind, here are some resources related to the types of legal issues that most commonly caused people to hire attorneys in 2009.

Here are some of the issues that Americans needed legal help with the most, along with resources to help give you a lay of the legal landscape:

  • Lawsuit or civil law:  25% – State Courts: Different Courts Hear Different Types of Cases
  • Estate planning or wills:  22% – Estate Planning Basics
  • Housing:  20% – Real Estate Law Basics
  • Personal injury:  15% –  Personal Injury
  • Traffic violation or DUI:  12% Traffic Tickets Center
  • Bankruptcy or financial:  10% Bankruptcy and Debt Center
  • Criminal: 9% Criminal Law Center
  • Employment:  8% Employee Rights Center
  • Divorce:  7% Family Law Center
  • Discrimination:  5% Legal Dictionary: Discrimination
  • Other:  25%

Informing yourself about your legal rights and options up front can save you headache down the line.

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