In 2024, Ohio Legal Help celebrated five years of impact, partnership, and innovation. Since our launch in 2019, we have served 3.7 million users—80% of whom live at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. Every number represents an Ohioan facing a legal challenge, and for many, our website is more than a resource—it’s a pathway to resolving their legal issues. And over the past year, we’ve worked hard to make that path stronger and easier to access.
We remain guided by a simple but powerful principle: to meet Ohioans where they are and provide the tools they need to take charge of their legal situations. With 70% of our users visiting the site on mobile devices, we’ve always prioritized a mobile-first design that allows Ohioans to find answers anytime, anywhere. Our commitment to plain-language, user-friendly content earned national recognition in 2022, and we continue to expand our reach and impact year after year.
In 2024, we strengthened our partnerships to provide critical legal information and resources. Through collaboration with the Supreme Court of Ohio and experts around the state, we developed a tool that enables stalking victims and survivors to safely access and complete the legal forms they need to obtain a civil protection order. We also launched a new mental health module developed through guidance from our community partners. It is available 24/7, to meet and support users where they are and empower them to get help and take control of their treatment.
Technology continues to be a driver in expanding access to legal help. In 2024, we expanded our Virtual Self-Help Centers, bringing critical legal resources to more communities like Cuyahoga County. We also implemented text-to-speech functionality and expanded multi-language translation on the website ensuring that more Ohioans can understand their legal options.
None of this progress would be possible without you—our partners, funders, legal professionals, and community organizations. Your collaboration fuels our ability to serve Ohioans in need, and we are deeply grateful for your commitment.
Looking ahead, we remain committed to expanding access to justice for all Ohioans. Through collaboration, innovation, and a deep understanding of the challenges our users face, we will continue to develop new tools and resources that empower people to navigate the legal system with greater confidence. Together, we are expanding access to justice—one step, one resource, and one person at a time.
With gratitude,
Since launching in 2019, Ohio Legal Help has transformed the way Ohioans access legal information and resources. What started as an initiative to bridge the justice gap has grown into a vital tool serving over 3.7 million users and counting. Over the past five years, we have empowered individuals and families by providing clear, actionable legal guidance when they need it most.
Every visit to our site represents a moment of need, and our work ensures that no one has to navigate the legal system alone. From launching new tools to strengthening our community partnerships, we remain committed to meeting Ohioans where they are—24/7, 365 days a year, on their phone.
In 2024, users turned to Ohio Legal Help to help navigate legal issues like getting a name change, protection orders, dissolution, the Ohio eviction timeline, and finding a lawyer.
Just six months after our launch, the COVID-19 pandemic upended daily life, and Ohioans turned to us in record numbers. In 2020 alone, more than 310,000 people visited our site, seeking information on unemployment benefits, eviction protections, and other resources. Over the years, we’ve adapted to meet evolving needs—from launching Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order forms in 2021 to helping nearly 90,000 Ohioans access rental assistance in 2022.
Innovation has been at the heart of our work. In 2023, we launched the first Virtual Self-Help Center in Montgomery County, helping self-represented litigants successfully navigate family law cases. That same year, we launched the Spanish-language version of our website, translating more than 203,000 words to ensure that our users can find and understand their legal options.
In 2024, we continued to prioritize access. We implemented text-to-speech functionality to support low-literacy users and those with different learning styles. We also expanded multi-language translation across our site, ensuring that more Ohioans can understand their legal rights.
Each milestone represents a step forward in expanding access to justice. With continued support from our partners and communities, we look forward to shaping the next five years of progress.
Collaboration with our partners throughout the state remains critical to our work, and in 2024, we continued to work together with experts to create resources that address Ohioans’ legal needs.
In partnership with the Supreme Court of Ohio, we developed a new tool to help people who have experienced stalking or sexual violence. Funded through a Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) grant, this tool enables stalking victims and survivors to safely access and complete the legal forms they need to obtain a civil protection order.
Knowing that better access to information and court forms can empower individuals to take action, Ohio Legal Help began development of this new tool in 2023 and worked with experts from around the state, including the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland and the Montgomery and Hamilton County Courts of Common Pleas. The new tool allows users to easily retrieve and fill out the protection order forms online, starting and stopping as they need to, and saving the information as they go. The information is available in English and Spanish by mobile phone, tablet, or computer 24/7; and includes the different types of civil protection orders, online stalking, and gathering evidence from your phone.
With generous funding from the Ohio State Bar Foundation, we also launched a new mental health module, available 24/7, to meet and support users where they are, empower them to get help and take control of their treatment. Developed with expert guidance from Disability Rights Ohio, the Washington County ADAMH Board, MetroHealth, and the Ohio Association of Community Health Centers, the module provides essential information on patient rights, the probate court’s civil commitment process, and how to access mental health services in Ohio.
A key feature of the module is a guided interview that helps users complete Ohio’s Declaration for Mental Health Treatment—an advance directive allowing individuals to outline their care preferences in the event of a mental health crisis. By providing clear, easy-to-understand legal resources, this module ensures that more Ohioans can make informed decisions about their mental health care.
Our partnerships across the state allow us to deliver trusted, accurate legal information and tools to those who need it most. By working together, we continue to remove barriers and build an Ohio where every resident has the information and tools to navigate the legal system.
Technology continues to enhance access to legal help, and in 2024, we expanded our Virtual Self-Help Centers (VSHCs) to better serve Ohio communities. Building on the success of the first VSHC in Montgomery County, we partnered with the Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court to launch a new VSHC for self-represented litigants.
This secure, mobile-friendly platform provides users with access to court forms, step-by-step legal information, and the ability to begin their case filings remotely. For those living below the federal poverty level – 16% of Cuyahoga’s population – this tool removes challenges like finding transportation and childcare, making it easier to access and navigate the legal system.
While designed primarily for those who cannot afford legal representation, the Cuyahoga VSHC is available to all self-represented litigants navigating their cases in the Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court.
Together, the Cuyahoga and Montgomery County VSHCs are projected to serve nearly 35,000 families in 2025. The success of these centers has set the stage for further expansion, with a new VSHC planned for Lorain County in 2025, extending access to legal resources to even more Ohioans.
Looking ahead, we remain committed to leveraging innovation to improve legal access—creating tools that empower individuals to navigate the legal system with confidence and greater understanding.
As we reflect on five years of growth and impact, we remain committed to breaking down barriers to legal information and assistance. The future of Ohio Legal Help is one of continued innovation, deeper community engagement, and expanding access for all Ohioans. By leveraging technology, strengthening partnerships, and responding to emerging legal needs, we will continue to empower individuals with the information they need to take action.
None of this progress would be possible without the dedication and collaboration of our partners, funders, and supporters. We are grateful to everyone who works alongside us to expand access to justice. Your support fuels our mission and helps Ohioans access the legal information, tools, and resources they need to achieve justice for themselves and their families.
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