You do not need to know the legal terminology or have every document before reaching out. The process begins with what you know and becomes more focused as the matter becomes clearer.
The five steps
Tell Us What's Going On
You do not need to know the legal terminology. Just describe what you know and what you believe the problem is. To help Finding Freedom get started, have the following information available if possible:
- Your name and contact information
- Your relationship to the incarcerated individual
- Incarcerated individual's full name
- SID number and DOC number, if known
- Current facility
- County
- Case number, if known
- Current stage of the case
- What you believe went wrong
- What you want help understanding
- Prior filings or attorneys, if known
- How you heard about Finding Freedom
- Records currently available
If you do not have all of this information, submit what you have. The intake process is designed to fill in gaps — not to require a complete file before anything can begin.
Initial Review
Finding Freedom reviews the basic information submitted, identifies what is known and what is missing, and generally acknowledges new inquiries within 48–72 business hours. This initial acknowledgment is not a completed assessment — it is the beginning of the intake process. Some matters may require additional information before any meaningful review can begin.
Focused Follow-Up
Finding Freedom may request specific facts, records, court orders, transcripts, docket information, sentencing papers, prior motions, or a more detailed intake. The questions are targeted to what the matter actually requires — not a standard checklist applied to every case. The goal is to request what is needed, not to overwhelm the family with unnecessary forms.
Free Preliminary Assessment
Once enough information is available, Finding Freedom explains what is understood so far — what stands out, what remains unclear, what records may still be needed, and what may deserve closer review. This assessment is provided at no charge.
This is a non-attorney preliminary assessment — not a promise that relief exists, not a legal opinion, and not a full record audit.
Decide Whether to Move Forward
If deeper work appears appropriate, Finding Freedom provides a proposed scope of work, proposed deliverables, fee, payment structure, estimated timeline, responsibilities, and service boundaries. This is documented in a Client Engagement and Service Parameters Agreement (CESPA) before any payment is requested or any retained work begins.
Payment is not requested until the proposed work and fee have been explained.
You are not obligated to proceed. The preliminary assessment is free regardless of whether retained work follows.
What the free preliminary assessment is
The preliminary assessment is Finding Freedom's initial evaluation of the matter based on the information available at the time it is provided. It is:
- Preliminary. It reflects what is known at the time. It may change as more records or information become available.
- Non-attorney. It is not legal advice, and Finding Freedom is not a law firm. Nothing in the assessment constitutes legal representation or creates an attorney-client relationship.
- Based on information currently available. The assessment is limited to what has been submitted and reviewed. Missing records, unverified facts, or incomplete procedural history may affect what can be evaluated.
- Designed to clarify. The purpose is to identify what is known, what is unknown, and what may deserve closer examination — not to render a final judgment on the case.
- Not a full record audit. A preliminary assessment is not a comprehensive review of every document in the case file. That level of work, if appropriate, is part of a retained engagement.
- Not a legal opinion. Finding Freedom does not advise on legal strategy, predict outcomes, or tell anyone what they must file.
- Not a guarantee. The assessment does not promise that a viable claim exists, that relief is available, or that any particular outcome is likely.
When paid work begins
Retained work does not begin until every step in this sequence is complete:
Payment is not requested until the proposed work and fee have been explained.
Research scope
For Maryland matters, our research begins with Maryland law and considers controlling Fourth Circuit and United States Supreme Court authority when relevant.
The intake is free. There is no charge to describe the situation and ask whether Finding Freedom may be able to help. Every intake is reviewed and acknowledged within 48–72 business hours.