What Does Legal Aid Do?
Legal aid is a vital support service designed to assist those who cannot afford legal representation. Its core purpose is to ensure that every individual has access to the legal services they require, regardless of their financial situation. It operates under the belief that the law should be equally accessible for everyone, and that justice must not be a privilege reserved for those who can afford legal fees.
Legal aid services in Youngstown cover a broad spectrum of needs. Whether you are facing criminal charges, dealing with family law issues, or navigating housing negotiations, legal aid agencies provide the essential support required to address these matters. For residents of Youngstown , this means you can have peace of mind knowing that legal assistance is available without having to worry about the cost.
Having access to legal aid services is especially critical in a community like Youngstown. As in most communities, the legal system is complex and often difficult to navigate without professional help. The legal aid services available locally make it so that residents do not have to lose sleep over legal problems. It is important to remember that families in our community have basic legal needs. Many of these needs are effectively met through the help of legal aid services.
Who Qualifies for Legal Aid in Youngstown?
Legal aid services in Youngstown aim to assist those who are unable to afford routine legal fees or high attorney fees and whose income meets certain standards. Legal aid programs are not free legal attorneys but rather nonprofit organizations that provide pro bono assistance.
Low-income individuals can often qualify for free legal services if their annual income is below an established limit. Generally, this would be someone making less than 125 percent of the federal poverty level. In 2021 for the 48 contiguous states and Washington DC, this would include a single person with an annual income of 16,000 or a family of four with an annual income of 33,000. Legal aid offices also consider the size of the household when assessing eligibility.
Individuals who might receive priority to qualify for legal aid programs include veterans, domestic violence victims, the elderly, and those with disabilities.
Legal Aid Cases: What Types Does Legal Aid Cover?
Legal aid services in Youngstown can help you with many different types of legal issues, whether they are criminal or civil matters. Here are some examples of the types of cases handled by legal aid attorneys:
Housing issues
Problems regarding housing are among the most common legal issues that local residents seek legal aid for. This can involve a situation where a landlord is attempting to illegally evict a tenant. For example, a landlord may attempt to evict a tenant for reasons not specifically outlined in the law, such as failure to pay rent, or because of the tenant’s race, gender, disability or sexual orientation. Tenants facing an illegal eviction can obtain an emergency court order (an injunction) to keep the landlord from proceeding with the eviction process.
Family law matters
Family law refers to all legal matters associated with marriage and domestic relationships. The most common reason our clients request legal aid involves family law cases. Family law encompasses a wide variety of legal issues, including contested and uncontested divorces, modifications of support orders, paternity actions, child custody litigation, spousal support and child support issues, step-parent adoptions and less common family law issues, such as emancipation of minors.
Income maintenance
Income maintenance cases involve enforcing existing government benefits, such as Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Ohio Works first (food stamps welfare), Ohio Child Health Insurance Program (OCHIP) and public assistance. Legal aid attorneys can handle cases regarding termination, reduction and overpayment of benefits.
Consumer and unemployment benefits
People seeking consumer benefits bring their cases to legal aid attorneys when they are being harassed by creditors or debt collectors. A debt collector violates Ohio law if it uses threatening or abusive language or threats of violence or arrest. Legal aid attorneys will write letters to stop harassment and file lawsuits when they have evidence of additional possible violations of the law.
Immigration
Legal aid services in Youngstown help clients with family-based petitions and applications for residency, citizenship and naturalization. Legal aid attorneys represent immigrants before the immigration court, Board of Immigration Appeals, immigration offices and the Department of Homeland Security.
Education
Legal aid attorneys help families understand the educational rights of their children and the services and programs available to them in school. School issues often involve special education, discipline, residency (where the child lives) and bullying. Legal aid will send a letter after receiving complaints about bullying, verifying where the resident lives, making sure the child received appropriate alternative educational services, and correcting errors in the individualized education program (IEP).
Getting Legal Aid: How to Apply
To apply for legal aid in Youngstown, you’ll first need to determine if your situation is eligible for support. Legal aid typically covers civil, and not criminal, matters. This means that issues related to family law or representation during civil trials concerning damages or liabilities are generally supported. On the other hand, assistance from legal aid is not available for issues related to criminal defense, so you’ll need to make sure your case falls within the scope of offered services.
Assuming that you’ll qualify for assistance, the next step is to find legal aid resources in your area. In Youngstown, the Mahoning County Bar Association provides access to a limited supply of legal aid resources and can direct plaintiffs and defendants to the appropriate organizations for further assistance. One resource that’s commonly provided through the bar association is a discounted or sliding-fee rate, which permits those in need to receive the assistance that they need without worrying about their ability to pay. Some organizations may also offer assistance for free, although the volume of each organization’s caseload will dictate how many low-income individuals can ultimately be granted assistance.
To apply for legal aid, you can contact the Mahoning County Bar Association at 330-746-2933 ext. 110 or 111 for assistance with the organization in question. Most organizations will require an in-person interview where you’ll be asked to provide information that helps verify your qualifications. After the in-person interview, you’ll typically receive a confirmation of whether your application has been granted or denied. In most cases, a given organization will contact you directly without needing for you to follow up with them; however, it’s not uncommon for organizations to receive more requests than they can fulfill, leading to necessitating a cost-based selection strategy.
Youngstown-Based Legal Aid Resources
Community Legal Aid Services of Youngstown offers its services to eligible individuals, which includes those who wish to obtain a legal divorce or other family law-related matters. Services are provided at no cost to the applicant. The organization also has an office located in Warren to help even more people in the area in need of legal help.
Phone: (330) 740-2310
Fax: (844) 407-9366
580 Main St. FL 3
Youngstown, OH 44510
The Mahoning County Bar Association provides a Family Law Information Center (FLIC) to citizens seeking basic information on divorce proceedings, including the cost involved, residency requirements, timelines and forms needed. The center does not offer a way into the family court system or provide any assistance in preparing for a divorce, but does offer resources to assist in completing the process without having to hire a private attorney . All services are free to county residents.
Phone: (330) 746-2938
The Pro Bono Legal Clinic hosted by Youngstown Pro Bono offers free consultations with a volunteer member of the Mahoning County Bar Association to learn about the legal issues in your case and receive direction as to whether your case is appropriate for pro bono representation. Clients also have the option to complete an online application for legal aid so that a volunteer lawyer can review the submission and contact you if accepted. The Clinic takes place at the Courthouse in Boardman on the first, second, third, and fifth Wednesday and the second Thursday (6 p.m.). Call for an appointment.
Phone: (330) 744-8511 ext. 110
The Ohio Bar Association provides the following resources to help in finding legal assistance in Youngstown:
Legal Aid Success Stories: Client Testimonials
"I was at the end of my rope. I never thought I’d find a way out of the situation honestly. I could never have imagined that we would be safe. Looking back, I can’t believe I was afraid in my own home. I was terrified to leave the kids alone with him. He suddenly became someone I didn’t know anymore and he showed me a side to him that I had never known since the day we met. Domestic Violence Services represented me during my divorce. I didn’t know how I would have gotten through it otherwise. Everything they did really helped us out and got us to where we are." (testimony from a domestic violence victim in Youngstown)
"When I first reached out to my assigned attorney it was because Youth Services was trying to keep my son away from me. They didn’t see the good I was doing. I got my GED and a job, went to rehab and am now clean and sober for nine months now. Everything they did for me helped more than I can say. I am very proud to have my kids back and I thank the legal aids for all they did for me." (testimony of current, clean and sober mother successfully reunified with her children after being separated due to substance abuse)
I was not only fighting to stay out of jail but I was also without my children. Because of my drug abuse, my daughter was taken from me. The legal aide made all the difference in my life. Because of them, me and my children have worked out our war. I am very happy to have them back. And I have my license and a car, a job, a house and I am drug free." (testimony of a law enforcement involved parent who had his children removed due to drug and alcohol abuse)
"I was charged with several charges of thefts and breaking and entering. I had no income, no house and no job. Thanks to the attorney representing me I pled to the charges and began the road to rehabilitation. I have been clean for over 16 weeks, my charges were dropped except for one of the theft charges and I got a job. I have my own apartment and a job with a promising future. They saved my life and gave me hope — and for that I will always be grateful. I now have the ability to be a mother again and I will never put drugs before my family again. Thank you." (testimony of a young woman who received comprehensive legal services successfully allowing her to turn her life around)
Legal Aid and Its Challenges
Common challenges that legal aid organizations in Youngstown face include insufficient funding, rapid turnover of staff, difficulty in recruiting lawyers to work with their organizations, and technology issues including the failure of the older hardware or software that legal aid organizations use. Legal aid organizations also face challenges in finding, keeping up-to-date, and using legal research that is affordable, efficient, and current.
All of these challenges affect how legal aid organizations deliver legal aid services in Youngstown. While some of these barriers are insurmountable , there is also help out there. Legal aid organizations in Mahoning County have come together to form a network for attorneys engaging in pro bono work in Youngstown. All the legal aid organizations offer lawyers that can provide assistance to people in need of legal aid services. By combining resources and sparring on expenses, the legal aid organizations in Youngstown can provide better services and make them available to a greater number of needy families and individuals.