What is Legal Aid?
Legal aid is a government program that provides assistance to individuals who cannot afford a lawyer. Traditionally, legal aid programs are available to low-income people in a variety of civil matters, including divorce, healthcare, housing and family law. There are also programs that focus on issues related to the incarceration of parents and grandparents. Each nonprofit program has its own set of eligibility rules, outlining who may seek assistance and in what areas of the law. In Hamilton and southwest Ohio, you will find the Ohio Justice Bus, a service of the Ohio Justice Bus Foundation . With The Ohio Justice Bus, a staff lawyer travels weekly to drop-in sites to conduct legal clinics. Each onsite clinic lasts an entire day and the Ohio Justice Bus also sends lawyers to travel to rural parts of the state. A combination of the bus clinics, drop-in clinics, and rural stop clinics provide several options for receiving services. Ohio Justice Bus staff strives to connect people with the best available options for assistance. If you are not eligible for services through the Ohio Justice Bus, there may be alternatives that can help.
How to Qualify for Legal Aid in Hamilton
In order to qualify for legal aid in Hamilton, individuals and families must be aware of the eligibility criteria in place. In general, eligibility is based upon income levels. For example, if the individual or family is a low-income party facing a post-decree issue such as non-payment of spousal support or collection of child support, the courts typically will not accept a request by that individual or family to have the help of a legal aid program. There are low-income services available and the person does not have to do anything special to qualify to receive these services; the court will appoint them for free.
Who exactly can get free legal aid in Hamilton? The Ohio Legal Services website indicates the following groups of people are eligible to receive legal aid:
• Low-income individuals
• Military personnel
• Veterans
• Survivors of domestic violence
• Refugees
• Older adults
• People with disabilities
Legal aid programs are generally community-based and serve the specific low-income clients they are funded to serve. Thus, the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati has a priority list for individuals that would otherwise be unable to afford a lawyer at an attorney’s standard rate. Those individuals include people that are:
• Low-income
• Homeless
• In a domestic violence shelter
• Senior citizens
• Veterans and military members
• Low-income children
If a person or family meets these criteria, they can request legal services. The Ohio Legal Services website doesn’t specifically note what is considered low-income. It appears that the general rule is individuals or families that are below 125 percent of the federal poverty line are qualified to receive legal. This means a person or family of four with a reported income of $30,750 per year or less would qualify. The qualification would rise to $38,625 for a five-person family and $46,500 for a six-person family.
Case Categories that Legal Aid Handles
Legal aid services in Hamilton, Ohio are provided primarily in cases involving family law, housing law, and consumer rights as well as general criminal law. In terms of family law, legal aid may represent clients in cases involving divorce, property disputes, dissolution, and paternity. Child support, visitation, and custody cases for unmarried parents are also included. In cases before Children Services for abuse, neglect, and dependency, legal aid attorneys can provide representation as well. Moreover, legal aid can provide assistance in cases of domestic abuse, parental or spousal abuse, or other instances of willfully disobedient children. Domestic Relations and Juvenile Courts refer cases to legal aid attorneys as the need arises.
Servicing those needing legal aid for housing disputes, the non-profit organization provides assistance with evictions, repair disputes, termination of rental agreements, threats and lockouts. Attorney representation is provided in landlord/tenant related cases in the areas of public housing, subsidized housing, private rental housing, and mobile home parks. Outside of housing cases, legal aid lawyers may also represent clients in consumer rights matters. Such matters are generally in regards to settlement or litigation of disputes. Legal aid will represent their clients in disputes concerning liens, repossessions, lemon cars, and other consumer-related lawsuits.
Applying for Legal Aid in Hamilton
Obtaining legal aid in Hamilton, Ohio is a process governed by the legal requirements of legal aid organizations. Before determining whether you qualify, legal aid groups will want to ensure that you have conducted due diligence and tried to resolve your legal issues through other means.
Below are some common steps and requirements associated with applying for legal aid in Hamilton, Ohio:
1. Fill Out an Online Application
Most legal aid groups will ask that you fill out an online application. This application can often be found on their website and can be completed in just a few minutes. Usually, these online applications will request basic personal information like your name, phone number, gender, address, date of birth, and email address. Be sure to answer all questions honestly and accurately.
2. Provide Details About Your Case
Next, you will be asked to provide more information about your specific legal problem. You’ll be asked for general details about the situation, including the current status, the location where it is happening, and the details of what you would like to happen.
3. Provide Income Information
Most legal aid groups in Hamilton, Ohio will require you to verify that you meet the income requirements. This will allow them to confirm that you do not exceed their annual income cap. To confirm your income, you may need to provide things such as:
Just like individuals can earn more than $15,000 annually, legal aid groups may make exceptions on a case-by-case basis. This means that even if you don’t meet the strict income levels, you may still qualify.
4. Let the Group Follow Up
After you have submitted your application online, someone from the legal aid group will generally follow up with you. Again, each group is different, but there are a few potential ways that they may get in touch. This could include:
If you don’t already have a lawyer, the legal aid organization may be able to assist you in finding one. If they cannot take your case directly, they may still be able to refer you to legal resources that can help you find the legal protection you need.
Legal Aid Providers in Hamilton
Among the most notable legal aid resources in Hamilton are legal aid entities such as the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati and the Ohio State Legal Services Association (OSLSA). In Hamilton, the Ohio State Legal Services Association provides representation for low-income individuals and families in civil legal matters. Legal Aid of Greater Cincinnati also serves the Hamilton area. Their Cincinnati office, located at 215 E Ninth St, is open Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The organization provides various services, including legal advice and referrals, counseling on housing issues, and other local support. The Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation may also have additional resources for residents. The Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati’s Mobile Law Center offers on-site services for those in need. For more information, please visit their website. University of Cincinnati’s College of Law is another important legal resource for Hamilton residents . The Law Clinic at UC’s College of Law provides first-chair representation to the members of the greater Cincinnati community. Their practice areas include business law, civil litigation, criminal law, immigration, and real estate. Their office is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. No walk-ins are allowed. Appointments are required. Ohio Justice Bus (Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation) provides other tools and resources for Ohioans in need. Sometimes various programs such as self-help clinics, and forms workshops are available at their Traveling Legal Aid and Technology Clinics. For Hamilton residents, the Pro Seniors nonprofit organization can help with legal, financial, or healthcare needs. In addition to lawyer referrals, they offer other services, including advocacy for elderly Ohio citizens. The YMCA Legal Aid Helpline allows residents to connect to legal aid and legal assistance programs. The Helpline is available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. To qualify, you must reside within one of 32 participating counties in Ohio or Kentucky.
Testimonials and Success Stories
Maria received a call from her landlord asking for rent. When she was able to review her lease, she found that the amount requested was higher than what she owed. Undeterred, she wrote a letter to her landlord showing them the revised calculation. She was told to pay or be evicted. Frustrated, Maria called Legal Aid Protective Services for help. After discussing her situation with an attorney, Maria felt empowered to file a small claims case against her landlord on her own. In fact, she was able to negotiate the return of her security deposit without going to court and also avoided a wrongful eviction in the process.
Linda came to Legal Aid seeking representation in a divorce from her husband of seven years. Due to the unstable relationship, the couple never disclosed the two million dollars they received after selling farm land. The husband had convinced Linda of the need to keep the money secret in order to avoid paying taxes on the money. Legal Aid was able to uncover the hidden assets, free Linda from her husband, and obtain more than half a million dollars for her share of the proceeds. Of that money, Linda invested five hundred thousand dollars to secure her retirement. Now, she is free of her husband and can retire in comfort.
The Future of Legal Aid and its Challenges
Like many other areas of the U.S., Hamilton and its surrounding counties have seen an increase in the percentage of residents below the federal poverty level. For example, between 2005 and 2014, the median household income in Hamilton County dropped from $60,736 to $58,760, but the rate of people living below the federal poverty level increased from 11.3 to 16.0 percent . The JFS reports that Ohio’s poverty threshold for a one-person household is $12,752, while a four-person household must earn less than $26,295. And with poverty comes increased need for legal aid, as more residents struggle to pay lawyers for assistance with family law issues, housing cases and consumer matters. The JFS anticipates that the legal aid and pro bono network in needed to serve these residents will grow, but it has experienced a shortage of lawyers willing and able to assist.