All About Franklin County Legal Aid: Your Essential Guide to No-Cost Legal Help

What’s Franklin County Legal Aid?

Franklin County Legal Aid is a nonprofit law firm that provides legal services at little or no cost to residents who are considered low-income. In other words, if you can’t afford to hire a private attorney and your total annual compensation falls below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, you may qualify for full legal aid. The Poverty Guidelines are updated annually by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). To get a better idea of where you fall, here are the HHS Poverty Guidelines for the current year:
Full legal aid services are available in Franklin County for housing issues, consumer matters, family law, public benefits and employment problems. However , free volunteer legal assistance teams are also on hand to help you with a range of criminal topics. They can assist with more simple criminal matters such as expungements and sealing criminal records. In some cases, Franklin County Legal Aid will direct you to another attorney if you don’t qualify for free services or if it doesn’t provide the specific service you need. Some examples would be court-appointed counsel in criminal cases, more complex bankruptcy issues or representation for serious felonies. Franklin County Legal Aid’s primary purpose is to provide pro bono legal services for low-income individuals and families, but they may offer limited services to people who are considered at moderate income. They rely heavily on volunteer attorneys, who donate their time and resources to help those in need.

Do I Qualify for Legal Aid?

Eligibility for Legal Aid Services in Franklin County is determined by the Federal government. These are those guidelines: Family Size Annual Income Monthly Income Weekly Income Daily Income
1 $13,590 $1,133 $262 $61
2 $18,310 $1,526 $352 $81
3 $23,550 $1,963 $453 $104
4 $28,790 $2,399 $553 $128
5 $34,030 $2,836 $654 $151
6 $39,270 $3,273 $755 $173
7 $44,510 $3,709 $855 $195
8 $49,750 $4,146 $956 $218
9 $54,990 $4,583 $1,057 $242
10 $60,230 $5,019 $1,157 $265
11 $65,470 $5,456 $1,258 $288
12 $70,710 $5,893 $1,358 $311
13 $75,950 $6,330 $1,458 $334
14 $81,190 $6,767 $1,559 $358
15 $86,430 $7,203 $1,659 $382
16 $91,670 $7,640 $1,760 $405
17 $96,910 $8,077 $1,860 $428
18 $102,150 $8,514 $1,960 $451
19 $107,390 $8,950 $2,061 $474
20 $112,630 $9,387 $2,161 $497
21 $117,870 $9,824 $2,261 $520
22 $123,110 $10,261 $2,362 $542
23 $128,350 $10,698 $2,462 $565
24 $133,590 $11,136 $2,563 $588
25 $138,830 $11,573 $2,663 $611
26 $144,070 $12,010 $2,764 $634
27 $149,310 $12,447 $2,864 $657
28 $154,550 $12,883 $2,964 $680
29 $159,790 $13,320 $3,065 $703
30 $165,030 $13,757 $3,165 $726
31 $170,270 $14,194 $3,265 $749
32 $175,510 $14,631 $3,366 $772
33 $180,750 $15,068 $3,466 $795
34 $185,990 $15,505 $3,566 $818
35 $191,230 $15,942 $3,667 $841
36 $196,470 $16,379 $3,768 $864
37 $201,710 $16,816 $3,868 $887
38 $206,950 $17,253 $3,968 $910
39 $212,190 $17,690 $4,068 $933
40 $217,430 $18,127 $4,169 $956
41 $222,670 $18,564 $4,269 $979
42 $227,910 $19,001 $4,370 $1,002
43 $233,150 $19,438 $4,470 $1,025
44 $238,390 $19,875 $4,570 $1,048
45 $243,630 $20,312 $4,671 $1,071
46 $248,870 $20,749 $4,771 $1,094
47 $254,110 $21,186 $4,872 $1,117
48 $259,350 $21,623 $4,972 $1,140
49 $264,590 $22,060 $5,073 $1,163
50 $269,830 $22,497 $5,173 $1,186
51 $275,070 $22,934 $5,274 $1,209
52 $280,310 $23,371 $5,374 $1,232
53 $285,550 $23,808 $5,474 $1,255
54 $290,790 $24,245 $5,575 $1,278
55 $296,030 $24,682 $5,675 $1,301
56 $301,270 $25,119 $5,776 $1,325
57 $306,510 $25,556 $5,876 $1,348
58 $311,750 $25,993 $5,976 $1,372
59 $316,990 $26,430 $6,076 $1,395
60 $322,230 $26,867 $6,176 $1,418
61 $327,470 $27,304 $6,277 $1,442
62 $332,710 $27,741 $6,377 $1,465
63 $337,950 $28,178 $6,478 $1,489
64 $343,190 $28,615 $6,578 $1,512
65 $348,430 $29,052 $6,678 $1,536
66 $353,670 $29,489 $6,779 $1,560
67 $358,910 $29,926 $6,879 $1,583
68 $364,150 $30,363 $6,980 $1,606
69 $369,390 $30,800 $7,080 $1,630
70 $374,630 $31,237 $7,181 $1,653
71 $379,870 $31,674 $7,281 $1,676
72 $385,110 $32,111 $7,381 $1,699
73 $390,350 $32,548 $7,482 $1,722
74 $395,590 $32,985 $7,582 $1,745
75 $400,830 $33,422 $7,683 $1,769
76 $406,070 $33,859 $7,783 $1,792
77 $411,310 $34,296 $7,883 $1,815
78 $416,550 $34,733 $7,984 $1,838
79 $421,790 $35,170 $8,084 $1,861
80 $427,030 $35,607 $8,185 $1,884
81 $432,270 $36,044 $8,285 $1,907
82 $437,510 $36,481 $8,386 $1,931
83 $442,750 $36,918 $8,487 $1,954
84 $447,990 $37,355 $8,587 $1,977
85 $453,230 $37,792 $8,688 $2,000
86 $458,470 $38,229 $8,789 $2,023
87 $463,710 $38,666 $8,890 $2,046
88 $468,950 $39,103 $8,990 $2,070
89 $474,190 $39,540 $9,091 $2,093
90 $479,430 $39,978 $9,192 $2,117
91 $484,670 $40,415 $9,293 $2,140
92 $489,910 $40,852 $9,393 $2,163
93 $495,150 $41,289 $9,494 $2,186
94 $500,390 $41,726 $9,594 $2,210
95 $505,630 $42,163 $9,695 $2,233
96 $510,870 $42,600 $9,796 $2,257
97 $516,110 $43,037 $9,897 $2,281
98 $521,350 $43,474 $9,998 $2,305
99 $526,590 $43,911 $10,098 $2,329
100 $531,830 $44,348 $10,199 $2,353
101 $537,070 $44,785 $10,300 $2,376
102 $542,310 $45,223 $10,401 $2,399
103 $547,550 $45,660 $10,502 $2,423
104 $552,790 $46,097 $10,603 $2,447
105 $558,030 $46,534 $10,704 $2,471
106 $563,270 $46,971 $10,805 $2,494
107 $568,510 $47,408 $10,906 $2,518
108 $573,750 $47,845 $11,007 $2,541
109 $578,990 $48,282 $11,108 $2,565
110 $584,230 $48,719 $11,210 $2,589
111 $589,470 $49,156 $11,311 $2,613
112 $594,710 $49,593 $11,412 $2,637
113 $599,950 $50,030 $11,513 $2,661
114 $605,190 $50,467 $11,613 $2,684
115 $610,430 $50,904 $11,714 $2,708
116 $615,670 $51,341 $11,815 $2,732
117 $620,910 $51,778 $11,916 $2,756
118 $626,150 $52,215 $12,017 $2,780
119 $631,390 $52,652 $12,118 $2,803
120 $636,630 $53,089 $12,219 $2,827
121 $641,870 $53,526 $12,320 $2,851
122 $647,110 $53,963 $12,421 $2,875
123 $652,350 $54,400 $12,522 $2,899
124 $657,590 $54,837 $12,623 $2,923
125 $662,830 $55,274 $12,724 $2,947
126 $668,070 $55,711 $12,825 $2,971
127 $673,310 $56,148 $12,926 $2,995
128 $678,550 $56,585 $13,027 $3,019
129 $683,790 $57,022 $13,128 $3,043
130 $689,030 $57,459 $13,229 $3,067
131 $694,270 $57,896 $13,330 $3,091
132 $699,510 $58,333 $13,431 $3,115
133 $704,750 $58,770 $13,532 $3,139
134 $709,990 $59,207 $13,633 $3,163
135 $715,230 $59,644 $13,734 $3,187
136 $720,470 $60,081 $13,835 $3,211
137 $725,710 $60,518 $13,936 $3,235
138 $730,950 $60,955 $14,037 $3,259
139 $736,190 $61,392 $14,138 $3,283
140 $741,430 $61,829 $14,239 $3,308
141 $746,670 $62,266 $14,340 $3,332
142 $751,910 $62,703 $14,441 $3,356
143 $757,150 $63,140 $14,542 $3,381
144 $762,390 $63,577 $14,643 $3,405
145 $767,630 $64,014 $14,744 $3,430
146 $772,870 $64,451 $14,845 $3,454
147 $778,110 $64,888 $14,946 $3,478
148 $783,350 $65,325 $15,047 $3,503
149 $788,590 $65,762 $15,148 $3,527
150 $793,830 $66,199 $15,249 $3,551
151 $799,070 $66,636 $15,350 $3,575
152 $804,310 $67,073 $15,451 $3,600
153 $809,550 $67,510 $15,552 $3,624
154 $814,790 $67,947 $15,653 $3,648
155 $820,030 $68,384 $15,754 $3,672
156 $825,270 $68,821 $15,855 $3,696
157 $830,510 $69,258 $15,956 $3,721
158 $835,750 $69,695 $16,057 $3,746
159 $840,990 $70,132 $16,158 $3,770
160 $846,230 $70,569 $16,259 $3,794
161 $851,470 $71,006 $16,360 $3,818
162 $856,710 $71,443 $16,461 $3,843
163 $861,950 $71,880 $16,562 $3,867
164 $867,190 $72,317 $16,663 $3,891
165 $872,430 $72,754 $16,764 $3,916
166 $877,670 $73,191 $16,865 $3,941
167 $882,910 $73,628 $16,966 $3,965
168 $888,150 $74,065 $17,067 $3,989
169 $893,390 $74,502 $17,168 $4,014
170 $898,630 $74,939 $17,269 $4,038
171 $903,870 $75,376 $17,370 $4,062
172 $909,110 $75,813 $17,471 $4,086
173 $914,350 $76,250 $17,572 $4,111
174 $919,590 $76,687 $17,673 $4,135
175 $924,830 $77,124 $17,774 $4,161
176 $930,070 $77,561 $17,875 $4,186
177 $935,310 $77,998 $17,976 $4,211
178 $940,550 $78,435 $18,077 $4,236
179 $945,790 $78,872 $18,178 $4,261
180 $951,030 $79,309 $18,279 $4,286
181 $956,270 $79,746 $18,380 $4,311
182 $961,510 $80,183 $18,481 $4,335
183 $966,750 $80,620 $18,582 $4,360
184 $971,990 $81,057 $18,683 $4,386
185 $977,230 $81,494 $18,784 $4,411
186 $982,470 $81,931 $18,885 $4,436
187 $987,710 $82,368 $18,986 $4,461
188 $992,950 $82,805 $19,087 $4,486
189 $998,190 $83,242 $19,188 $4,511
190 $1,003,430 $83,679 $19,289 $4,536
191 $1,008,670 $84,116 $19,390 $4,561
192 $1,013,910 $84,553 $19,491 $4,586
193 $1,019,150 $84,990 $19,592 $4,611
194 $1,024,390 $85,427 $19,693 $4,636
195 $1,029,630 $85,864 $19,794 $4,661
196 $1,034,870 $86,301 $19,895 $4,686
197 $1,040,110 $86,738 $19,996 $4,711
198 $1,045,350 $87,175 $20,097 $4,736
199 $1,050,590 $87,612 $20,198 $4,761
200 $1,055,830 $88,049 $20,299 $4,786
201 $1,061,070 $88,486 $20,400 $4,811
202 $1,066,310 $88,923 $20,501 $4,836
203 $1,071,550 $89,360 $20,602 $4,862
204 $1,076,790 $89,797 $20,703 $4,886
205 $1,082,030 $90,234 $20,804 $4,911
206 $1,087,270 $90,671 $20,905 $4,936
207 $1,092,510 $91,108 $21,006 $4,961
208 $1,097,750 $91,505 $21,107 $4,986
209 $1,102,990 $91,942 $21,208 $5,011
210 $1,108,230 $92,379 $21,309 $5,036
211 $1,113,470 $92,816 $21,410 $5,061
212 $1,118,710 $93,253 $21,511 $5,086
213 $1,123,950 $93,690 $21,612 $5,111
214 $1,129,190 $94,127 $21,713 $5,136
215 $1,134,430 $94,564 $21,814 $5,161
216 $1,139,670 $95,001 $21,915 $5,186
217 $1,144,910 $95,438 $22,016 $5,211
218 $1,150,150 $95,875 $22,117 $5,236
219 $1,155,390 $96,312 $22,218 $5,261
220 $1,160,630 $96,749 $22,319 $5,286
221 $1,165,870 $97,186 $22,420 $5,311
222 $1,171,110 $97,623 $22,521 $5,336
223 $1,176,350 $98,060 $22,622 $5,361
224 $1,181,590 $98,497 $22,723 $5,386
225 $1,186,830 $98,934 $22,824 $5,411
226 $1,192,070 $99,371 $22,925 $5,436
227 $1,197,310 $99,808 $23,026 $5,461

What Types of Cases Are Represented?

The range of legal issues that Franklin County Legal Aid is prepared to assist with is extensive, offering services in numerous areas of the law. Their family law services cover a wide spectrum, including divorce, child custody, spousal support, and domestic violence. They take an advocacy approach with survey programs for parents involved in custody disputes, along with intensive representation of victims of domestic violence in matters of divorce, support, and custody. Their housing lawyers assist with problems in regards to landlord-tenant relations, such as evictions, unsafe housing, and homelessness. Foreclosure representation is provided for homeowners licenses as well who are having trouble making payments on their mortgages. The debt collection and bankruptcy teams of Franklin County Legal Aid help people dealing with debt to protect their financial interests. They defend clients against lawsuits, provide advice about filing bankruptcy, and assist with wrongful garnishments. Their consumer law advocates provide guidance and representation in legal matters like creditor harassment, auto fraud, unfair billing practices, and collection issues. They work to protect the rights of consumers and prevent illegal practices by creditors and merchants. Immigration lawyers help immigrants and refugees deal with the full range of immigration law issues. They help with applications for Lawful Permanent Residence and Temporary Protective Status and asylum applications, among others. Franklin County Legal Aid also provides general advice and representation for consumer issues, education law issues, insurance disputes, personal injury, tax, and others. The language of legal aid can be complex and overwhelming; taking advantage of the above resources can be a very important step forward in resolving most legal issues you face.

Applying for Legal Aid

To apply for legal aid through Franklin County Legal Aid, individuals must first determine their eligibility. In general, the organization provides assistance to those who cannot afford legal representation, including low-income families and individuals, senior citizens, survivors of domestic violence, persons with disabilities, and veterans.
The application process involves a few straightforward steps. First, applicants must visit the Franklin County Legal Aid website or one of their in-person locations to complete a screening questionnaire. This document helps determine your eligibility for services based on factors like your household income and type of legal matter.
If eligible, you will be required to submit additional documentation, including proof of income and identification. Necessary documents may include a pay stub if you are employed, Social Security records, bank statements for you and your spouse, a copy of your lease, proof of government assistance if you receive any or proof of public assistance benefits if you are currently living in a shelter.
After submitting your application, a representative from Franklin County Legal Aid reviews it and will contact you to notify you of the decision. If approved, you will be assigned an attorney or advocate to assist you with your case. However, the process can take some time—typically 30 to 60 days from the submission to approval. If you are unfamiliar with web applications and Internet browser terminology, ask someone you know to help you.

Nearby Legal Aid Groups

Not all legal aid organizations are created equal. Franklin County is fortunate to have not one but three local legal aid organizations to assist its residents. These organizations are: the Columbus Bar Association, Legal Aid Society of Columbus, and Capital University Legal Clinic.
The Columbus Bar Association (CBA) provides free legal advice, a variety of community legal education, and a free legal referral service for those in need. Their referral orients clients to different service providers based on need, geographic region , and ability to pay. Some of the CBA’s volunteer services are performed by law students who are assisted and supervised by an attorney. Most of the services offered by the CBA are free to its members and their families. The fee for non-member services varies depending on the service provided and is generally nominal.
The Legal Aid Society of Columbus (Legal Aid) is committed to providing pro bono legal help to those who qualify. Legal Aid has a sliding scale for legal services fees; however, fees are generally waived if you qualify for legal aid assistance.
The Capital University Legal Clinic is the only civil legal clinic in Franklin County providing legal services in Columbus’ south side. They focus their practice areas on family law, housing law, and low income tax assistance. Capital University Legal Clinic specializes in providing its clients with compassionate counsel, especially for clients suffering from domestic violence.

Legal Aid Alternatives

If you don’t qualify for traditional legal aid services, don’t despair. There are other resources and alternatives available. Franklin County Municipal Court hosts volunteer legal clinics at numerous locations throughout Franklin County, where attorneys volunteer to answer legal questions and help direct people to appropriate resources. The volunteer attorneys cannot provide representation or in-depth legal advice. They can answer simple legal questions usually within 15 minutes. The attorneys volunteer their time and provide these services to the community for free. Times and locations can vary but are updated throughout the year on the Franklin County Municipal Court website.
The Franklin County Bar Association (FCBA) also participates in several programs designed to link citizens with attorneys. Their Pro Bono Connection program connects lower-income individuals with an attorney who is willing to take the case at a significantly reduced fee or at no cost at all.
FCBA staff also provide information on how to file a pro se (self-represented) Small Claims case. They also can advise on how to obtain a waiver so that a filing fee may not need to be paid. As the local bar association, they also operate a lawyer referral service that can match you with a lawyer who has experience in your area of need.
There are also several online legal resource websites, including Ohio Legal Help, which can guide you to information you may need about Ohio’s laws, programs, courts, and other resources.

Success Stories and Their Effects

Real-life success stories help paint a vivid picture of the tangible impact that Franklin County Legal Aid makes in the community. Consider these examples: Maggie Jackson turned to Franklin County Legal Aid when her husband of 18 years filed for divorce and cited the 401(k) benefits she had accumulated over the years as a cause for their separation. The couple earned $1,500 a month, barely enough to pay their bills. Attorney Dave Bean negotiated with the husband’s lawyer and helped preserve the 401(k) plan, which was worth $50,000 at the time. She would have lost that entire savings if not for legal aid.
Theresa Harris was afraid for her life. Her husband had been violent in the past but recently took a turn for the worse and started threatening to kill her and their four children if they left. Theresa filed for divorce and went to court to obtain a protection from abuse order. Her husband was furious when he was served with the papers. Not only did Theresa need help getting the divorce finalized, but she also needed help to get her family out of the house for good. Staff attorney Shira McClinton got an agreement to allow Theresa to move with the children into an apartment, where they can be safe. The divorce is still pending, and Franklin County Legal Aid is still working with Theresa to finalize it so that she can focus on raising her children and finding a job.

Legal Aid FAQ

Q: What services does Franklin County Legal Aid offer?
A: Franklin County Legal Aid provides free legal services to low-income residents to meet their critical civil legal needs. The services include advice, brief service, extended representation, and legal education. They also provide pro bono resources to help clients qualify for legal aid services.
Q: Who can qualify for Franklin County Legal Aid services?
A: Franklin County Legal Aid assists low-income individuals and families in need of legal services who reside in Franklin County. Their services are available to citizens and non-citizens alike. The program has income and asset limits that clients must meet.
Q: How can I qualify for legal aid services?
A: Individuals and families may qualify for legal aid services by completing an online intake and being eligible for a free phone interview. If they qualify , a legal aid case manager will then be able to schedule an intake interview and inform the client of any other information they may need to know.
Q: How long does the application process take?
A: Depending on how many cases Franklin County Legal Aid is handling at the moment, the times may vary for when applicants can begin their legal aid services. The legal aid case manager will inform the client of when they can expect services.