Legal checklists, grouped by problem, ready before you pay anyone.

What a checklist is for, and what it is not

A legal checklist is a preparation tool: the facts, dates, documents, and questions a professional will ask for anyway, gathered before you sit down. It is not a diagnosis, and it will not tell you whether a claim is worth pursuing or which clause to sign. The payoff is money and time: most lawyers bill by the hour, roughly $162 to $392, median near $249 as of July 2026, so an organised summary can turn a rambling paid hour into a focused twenty minutes.

How to use a checklist before you pay

1. Match it to the situation, not the emotion. "I received a 3-day eviction notice" beats "I was wronged", it names a concrete event with a deadline.
2. Find the deadline first. Court dates, notice windows, limitation clocks, and licence-suspension dates decide everything else; one within days may mean you skip the template and call a lawyer.
3. Assemble documents in date order and write a one-paragraph summary, who, what, when, how much, and the outcome you want, the single most useful thing you can hand any provider.
4. Only then choose the route, template, filing service, or lawyer. Use a form for paperwork nobody is likely to fight over; use a lawyer when someone is likely to fight, a court is involved, or a mistake would be costly.

Lawyer help and first-contact checklists

These prepare the most cost-sensitive moment, the first consultation, which only pays off if you arrive organised.

• Free Legal Consultation Checklist — Timeline, contacts, and documents to bring.
• Lawyer Near Me Call Checklist — First call: problem, county, deadline, fees.

Small business and startup

Most early-stage paperwork is template-friendly; the trap is founder-specific work, equity splits, IP assignment, co-founder disputes, where a template bakes in problems. Forms for the routine, a lawyer for the structural.

• Small Business Legal Checklist — Entity structure, licences, and core contracts.
• Startup Legal Checklist — Founder agreement, equity records, IP assignment.

Business formation and registered agents

Forming an LLC is highly template-friendly and the price gaps are large (see the table); the recurring cost that catches people is the registered-agent renewal, roughly $125/yr at Northwest versus $249/yr at LegalZoom as of July 2026.

• LLC Formation Checklist — State, name availability, and registered agent.
• Registered Agent Comparison Checklist — State coverage, privacy address, mail handling, renewal price.

Contracts, agreements, and demand letters

For standard low-conflict documents a template is fine and cheap; reviewing a contract someone else drafted is different, a flat-fee lawyer review runs about $300 to $1,500 as of 2026 and catches the clause that costs you later.

• Contract Review Checklist — Parties and scope, payment terms, termination rights.
• NDA Review Checklist — Confidential-information definition, term length, permitted disclosures.
• Independent Contractor Agreement Checklist — Scope, payment schedule, and IP ownership.
• Demand Letter Preparation Checklist — Facts timeline, the demand, and evidence to attach.

Wills, trusts, and estate planning

Online will makers range from free to a few hundred dollars (figures in the table); a lawyer-drafted simple will commonly costs $300 to $1,000 as of July 2026. The dividing line is complexity, not price: blended families, business interests, or taxable estates should see a lawyer.

• Will Preparation Checklist — Beneficiaries, executor, and asset list.
• Living Trust Checklist — Trust assets, trustee choice, and beneficiaries.
• Power of Attorney Checklist — Your agent, scope of authority, effective date.
• Probate Preparation Checklist — Death certificate, will or trust, and asset list.

Family law

Rarely template territory once there is genuine disagreement, and never when children’s safety is at issue. You can organise financial disclosure in advance, but strategy and filings need a lawyer once contested.

• Divorce Consultation Checklist — Marriage timeline, income and assets, and debts.
• Child Custody Court Checklist — Parenting schedule, school and medical records, communication history.
• Prenup Discussion Checklist — Financial disclosure, separate property, debt treatment.

Criminal and DUI

Not a template category: if you face a charge, court date, or licence suspension, speak to a criminal defence lawyer (many offer a free first call), and use these checklists only to make that call more useful.

• DUI First Court Date Checklist — Citation, court date, and the licence deadline.
• Criminal Defense First Call Checklist — Charge details, court dates, and bail conditions.
• Expungement Eligibility Checklist — Conviction records, case numbers, sentence completion.

Personal injury

Injury claims are usually taken on contingency, so the upfront barrier is low; what you do yourself is preserve evidence early, then hand a strong file to a lawyer.

• Personal Injury Evidence Checklist — Photos and video, medical records, incident report.
• Car Accident Claim Checklist — Police report, scene photos, and medical treatment.
• Medical Malpractice Evidence Checklist — Medical records, treatment timeline, second opinions.
• Workers Comp Denial Checklist — Denial letter, injury report, medical restrictions.

Employment law

These disputes turn on documentation you mostly control, contracts, policies, pay records, the message trail, so organising it well can be the difference between a lawyer taking your case and passing.

• Employment Lawyer Evidence Checklist — Your contract, the policies, and the message trail.
• Wrongful Termination Checklist — Termination notice, protected-activity timeline, comparators.
• Unpaid Wages Checklist — Pay stubs, time records, and schedule proof.

Immigration

High-stakes, deadline-driven, and unforgiving of errors. Government forms are free from the official agency, so never pay a third party for one, and never miss a filing date.

• Immigration Lawyer Consultation Checklist — Status history, government notices, prior filings.
• Green Card Application Checklist — Eligibility pathway, civil documents, sponsor details.
• Asylum Evidence Checklist — Filing deadline, country-conditions evidence, your statement.

Bankruptcy and debt

Exhaust the free routes first, non-profit credit counselling, government hardship programs, before paying anyone. When bankruptcy is genuinely the answer, most people benefit from a lawyer.

• Bankruptcy Consultation Checklist — Debt list, income records, and asset inventory.
• Chapter 7 Filing Checklist — Income proof, debt schedule, and asset list.
• Foreclosure Defense Checklist — Sale date, mortgage notices, and payment history.
• Tax Debt Resolution Checklist — IRS or state notices, tax years, income, expenses.

Defamation and online reputation

The category most often mis-sold: a defamation lawsuit runs $15,000 to $100,000+ (consults $200 to $500) as of 2025 to 2026, while removing a genuinely false or policy-violating review is often free. Start with the free routes.

• Defamation Evidence Checklist — The URL and screenshots, publication date, false statement.
• False Google Review Removal Checklist — Review URL, reviewer details, and customer records.
• Online Reputation Takedown Checklist — Search-result and source-page URLs and screenshots.

Consumer, identity, and data

Largely a documentation-and-reporting exercise; the key reporting routes (the FTC, credit bureaus, your bank) are free. A lawyer is warranted for large losses; the first moves are yours, at no cost.

• Scam Recovery Evidence Checklist — Payment proof, message trail, and account details.
• Identity Theft Recovery Checklist — Credit reports, fraudulent accounts, police or FTC report.
• Data Breach Response Checklist — Breach notice, data exposed, and early fraud signs.

Real estate and tenancy

Leases are template-friendly to draft, but an eviction notice comes with a legal clock and a response that depends heavily on local tenancy rules. Organise fast; get local advice if a court date looms.

• Eviction Notice Response Checklist — Notice type, lease and payment records, deadline.
• Lease Review Checklist — Rent and deposit, term and renewal, repair obligations.

What the paid routes cost, as of July 2026

These figures were checked against provider websites in July 2026, but pricing changes constantly; confirm the current number on the provider's own page first.

Keep going: estimate, compare, and find the right form

Once your checklist is filled in, the next questions are "what will this cost?" and "which provider fits?" These tools pick up where the checklists leave off.

• Legal Calculators and Estimators — the fee and complexity drivers behind a matter.
• Legal Provider Comparisons — online services, form platforms, subscriptions, and filing providers side by side.
• Legal Templates and Forms Library — the risks before you use a specific contract, letter, will, lease, or policy.
• Legal Questions Answered — plain-English answers to the questions readers ask most.
• Lawyers by State and Practice Area — local help when a checklist points you to a professional.
• Legal Data Guides — charts of deadlines, penalties, and limits.
• Legal Tool Finder — the right route by the issue you face.
• Citation and resource kit — for writers and site owners linking to these checklists.

Prefer buyer guides for tools you can use now? See legal forms, people search, document tools, privacy tools, or the buyer guide index.

Frequently asked questions

What is a legal checklist actually for?

A preparation tool, not legal advice: it lists the facts, documents, dates, and questions a professional will need, so you gather them before the meeting for a shorter consultation and clearer quote. It does not tell you whether you have a case or which form to sign.

Should I use an online legal form or hire a lawyer?

Use a template for low-conflict paperwork nobody is likely to dispute: a contractor agreement, a simple will, an NDA, a basic lease, an LLC filing. Speak to a lawyer for court dates, criminal charges, injury claims, custody or safety issues, a complex estate, or a signed agreement with real money at stake. A checklist plus a paid consultation costs far less than a bad template.

How do these checklists save me money?

Lawyers commonly bill by the hour, roughly $162 to $392 with a median near $249 as of July 2026. Every minute one spends waiting for a document you could have brought is a minute you pay for, so an organised packet of documents and a written summary shortens the meter.

Is a lawyer-drafted demand letter worth it over a template?

Sometimes. Law-firm letterhead signals a credible willingness to escalate, which can prompt payment without a lawsuit. As of July 2026, such a letter typically runs about $200 to $750 for a simple matter, with fixed-fee platforms around $199 to $299, rising to $1,000 to $3,000 or more for complex disputes. A free template carries none of that, so match it to the stakes.

What does an online legal document subscription cost?

As of July 2026, LawDepot advertises a one-week free trial, then auto-renews at about $35 per month unless cancelled; an annual plan runs $107.88, and single documents cost roughly $0 to $139. Cancellation is reviewed, not instant, so cancel early. Rocket Lawyer memberships are billed annually at $149, $249, and $349 by tier. Confirm current pricing on the provider's own site first.

Can I get a false Google review removed without paying anyone?

Often, yes. As of July 2026 Google offers two free routes: flagging a policy-violating review from your Business Profile, and a legal removal request via Google's Legal Help tool for defamation, court orders, personal information, or impersonation. Google charges nothing for either and will not remove a review just because you disagree. Policy flags take several days; legal requests reportedly take a few weeks.

Is this page legal advice?

No. Everything here is general legal information to help you prepare and compare options. Laws vary by state and country, and only a lawyer licensed in your jurisdiction can advise on your situation. When a matter involves a deadline, a court, or serious money, the checklist is preparation for a professional, not a substitute for one.

Ready to prepare your documents?

If your checklist points to a standard document you can prepare yourself, a document library is the fast, low-cost route: LawDepot offers a one-week free trial with access to all documents as of July 2026, provided you cancel before it auto-renews at about $35 a month. If your matter is contested or serious, use the route check instead.