Below is a listing of various community resources to assist citizens in resolving various disputes. The list is not exhaustive. It always makes sense to consult an attorney when legal questions arise. Nothing in this summary should be construed to suggest that you should not consult an attorney when it is appropriate.

Better Business Bureau

• Better Business Bureaus are private non-profit organizations supported largely by membership dues paid by business and professional groups in each Bureaus' service area;
• Provides reports on business firms that will be helpful to you before making a purchase. The BBB system responds to millions of such inquiries each year;
• Provides information about charity groups and organizations ;
• Helps resolve consumers' disputes with businesses through telephone conciliation, mediation and arbitration; and
• Promotes ethical business standards and voluntary self-regulation of business practices.
• Contact Information : Better Business Bureau of Northwest North Carolina, Inc., 500 West Fifth Street, Suite 202 , Winston-Salem , NC , 27101-2728 ; phone: (336) 725-8348 or (800) 777-8348; fax: (336) 777-3727; e-mail: info@nwncbbb.com

Mediation Services

• Mediation is a face-to-face meeting between people who are in dispute. Individuals, groups, neighbors, schools, businesses, government and community agencies and the justice system can use mediation services.
• Dispute settlement program. Provides volunteer mediators who help people resolve disputes out of court. Works with non-violent cases such as landlord-tenant, juvenile problems, consumer-merchant, employee-employer disputes, trespass, property damage, domestic disputes, etc. Does not get involved in domestic violence cases.
• Contact Information : Mediation Services of Forsyth County, 225 W. Fifth Street, Suite 110 , Winston-Salem , NC 27101 , phone: (336) 724-2870, fax: (336) 724-9883
• www.piedmontcommunities.us (Click on United Way Link)

Legal Aid Society of Northwest North Carolina, Inc.

• Works with predatory lending and fair housing and other general consumer type law problems; they also handle all family law matters – primarily domestic violence protective orders and sexual assault and stalking orders; they do a limited amount of custody and divorce work and they have a Hispanic outreach program that provides advice in a wide variety of civil legal matter. Once a month they offer a custody clinic that will help people if you want to file pro se and you a divorce clinic once a month that is also to help folks file pro se. Have a guardian ad litem program that represents children in high conflict custody cases. Very limited amount of immigration work primarily for domestic violence victims.
• Contact Information : 216 West Fourth Street , Winston-Salem , North Carolina , 27101 , phone: (336) 725-9166 or toll free at (800) 660-6663, fax: (336) 723-9140
• www.legalaidnc.org

Legal Aid of North Carolina, Inc.

• Provides legal services for people who cannot afford to pay an attorney in certain cases.
• Contact Information : Legal Aid of North Carolina, Inc., 102 W. Third Street, Suite 305 , Winston-Salem , NC 27101 , phone: (336) 725-9162
• www.legalaidnc.org

Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Forsyth County

• Provides credit counseling for individuals with credit issues and bankruptcy counseling.
• Contact Information : Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Forsyth County, 8064 North Point Boulevard , Winston-Salem , NC 27106 , phone: (336) 896-1191
• www.cccsforsyth.org

Ask Sam ( Winston-Salem Journal)

• Daily column in the Winston-Salem Journal that provides answers to questions on many different topics.
• Contact Information : Ask Sam, P.O.Box 3159 , Winston-Salem , NC 27102 ; phone: (336) 727-7212 or toll free at (877) 727-7212
• www.journalnow.com

Attorney General's Consumer Protection Office

• Works to protect the public from unfair and deceptive business practices. Consumers who have been the victim of a fraud or scam can seek help from Consumer Protection Specialists
• Contact Information: Phone: 877.5.NO.SCAM.
• www.ncdoj.com/

Administrative Office of the Courts (Filing Small Claims)

• Tips on filing small claims in Magistrate's Court. http://www.nccourts.org/Courts/Trial/SClaims/Default.asp

Lawyer Referral Line

• Part of the North Carolina Bar Association. Provides listings of attorneys in your area. Attorneys have agreed to provide a 30 minute conference for no more than $30.
• Contact Information: phone: 800.662.7660 in state; 919.677.8574 in the Raleigh area and from out of state.
• www.ncbar.org

The Elder Law Clinic

• Provides legal advice to seniors with limited assets and income.
• Contact Information: phone: (336) 713-8630, fax: (336) 713-8632, address: Sticht Center , Medical Center Boulevard , Winston-Salem , NC 27157-1207
• www.law.wfu.edu/eclinic

The Child Support Enforcement Office of the Department of Social Services

• Helps custodial parent collect child support without having to employ your own attorney. They have their own legal department – through DA – only for child support cases only for money and insurance. Legal Department only works for social services cases. They follow the state guidelines. They are part of the Department of Health and Human Services. They are county employees.
• Contact Information: phone: (336) 703-3801, fax: (336) 748-3636, address: 741 North Highland Avenue, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27101, state wide number for office in Raleigh: (800) 992-9457 – hours of operation – 7:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. – Monday - Friday
• www.ncchildsupport.com