Posted June 7, 202410:53 pm
JEFFERSON — A non-profit legal firm is hoping to get more Ashtabula County residents to use their services.
The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland provides a variety of legal services for people from five northeastern Ohio counties, said Abigail Staudt, who is the managing attorney for three of the five counties. The organization has an office in Jefferson.
“I am the managing attorney for Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula counties,” Staudt said.
She said the organization has been involved in Ashtabula County for many years, but is making sure those who can’t afford civil legal services are able to be represented in the court system.
Staudt said the organization works on a variety of legal issues including divorce, domestic violence advocacy, health issues, housing discrimination, bankruptcy and many more. She said most of the cases are in municipal or county courts, but occasionally state or federal courts but nothing criminal.
The needs of the indigent involved in criminal cases are handled by the Ashtabula County Public Defenders Office.
Staudt said the Jefferson office, which has three or four attorneys and three or four support staff members, is being renovated this summer but people can still find services by reaching out on the internet.
Staudt said throughout the five-county area, also including Cuyahoga and Lorain counties, there are 70 to 80 attorneys working to help clients.
Much of representation ends up being handled by type of case rather than geography, Staudt said.
“All of our attorneys are being specialized in one specific area of law,” she said.
The organization is stepping up partnerships with other social service agencies. She said Legal Aid has conducted an event with the Ashtabula County Veterans Service Commission to help veterans get their legal needs met.
Legal Aid is funded by some federal funds, some state money, philanthropy and individual or group donations.
To qualify for services a person can make up to 200 percent of the poverty level.
Staudt said anyone interested in applying for services can do so through lasclev.org.
Source: Star Beacon - Legal Aid seeks to grow in area