This site is run by the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Help Center

The Clerk of Courts Help Center can answers questions on the following issues:

• Small Claims
• Landlord/Tenant
• Evictions
• Collections
• Court process and procedure

The Clerk of Courts Help Center staff and volunteers may help by:

• Providing legal information, educational materials, and training to self-represented litigants regarding court process, court procedures, and various legal topics.
• Assisting with the identification and completion of legal forms.
• Providing forms and information to help prepare individuals for their court date.
• Helping self-represented litigants understand court documents.

Computer Access:

The Clerk of Courts Help Center also provides free access to the internet for self-represented litigants to research resources and relevant topics. You can also use the computer to fill out and print forms.

What The Clerk of Courts Help Center Can’t Do:

The Clerk of Courts Help Center’s staff and volunteers do not represent you in court or provide ongoing legal representation, advice or services. Clerk of Courts Help Center paralegals and volunteer law students cannot provide legal advice. Additionally, the Clerk of Courts Help Center does not replace the representation of an attorney in your case. There may be instances where Help Center attorneys determine that your case is too complex for the Help Center to assist you.

We are unable to provide assistance with criminal cases. If you have a criminal case, please contact the Hamilton County Public Defender at 513-946-3700.  

When coming to our office:

To help us help you, please bring all relevant documents related to your case or legal issue, including court papers, documents (leases, contracts, receipts, etc.) and other evidence, including photos.

Clerk of Courts Help Center lawyers will not represent you in court. This service is provided to help you represent yourself.

Terms of Service

The Clerk of Courts Help Center (The Center) provides free, limited assistance to people who are representing themselves in civil matters in Hamilton County Municipal Court to help them better represent themselves.

The Center is not intended to replace the advice of a lawyer you might otherwise hire. You should consider the costs and benefits of hiring a lawyer to represent you before deciding to represent yourself.

The Center is staffed by:

• Full-time Executive Director – who is a licensed attorney
• Licensed attorneys – who volunteer on a rotating basis
• Law Students – who are trained to provide information and prepare certain documents under the supervision of a licensed attorney, but CANNOT give any legal advice
• Non-lawyer staff – who provide clerical, non-legal support, but CANNOT give any legal advice

The Center lawyers and law students:

• Provide you with basic information about court procedures
• Help you complete court forms

The Center lawyers :

• Will only provide limited legal advice about civil matters, such as process, court procedures, and completing documents in your case
• Will only provide assistance during your visit to The Center
• Will only consider the information you give them
• Will not be able to give you comprehensive legal advice
• Will not be able to conduct comprehensive legal research on your matter
• Will not be able to perform any independent or comprehensive investigation of your matter
• May conclude that, given your situation, she/he advises you to seek more extensive legal advice from another lawyer

The Center WILL NOT:

• Represent you in court
• Be responsible for taking any action for you
• Have any involvement in assisting you after your visit to The Center
• Retain any of your documents or records, whether in electronic format or in hard copy

Conflicts of Interest:

These conflicts happen when a lawyer at The Center may have helped another party involved in your case who has interests that are against your interests.

• If you are aware that a lawyer with The Center has already helped someone else involved in your case, you must tell The Center.
• If any lawyer at The Center is aware of a conflict of interest because of assisting someone else involved in your case or another reason known by that lawyer, that lawyer will NOT be able to help you in any way.
• Volunteer lawyers with The Center are not required to systematically check conflicts of interest with their law firms, due to the limited nature of consultations at The Center.