Help Center
The Hamilton County Juvenile Court Help Center is a collaboration between the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts and the University of Cincinnati College of Law. Many people lack the means to afford legal representation in court. Advice and guidance from an attorney can make a huge difference in the outcome of a case, especially for children whose parents are involved in a custody situation.
About the Help Center
The Juvenile Court Help Center is an expansion of the Hamilton County Help Center. This includes two attorneys employed by UC Law, two paralegals employed by the Clerk of Courts, and student interns from local universities and law schools. They provide low-income residents with free education, information, and limited advice pertinent to legal issues in Municipal Court involving housing, debt collection, small claims, and judgment collection. In 2023, an additional attorney employed by UC Law was assigned to the Juvenile Court.
How the Help Center Works
Of the nearly 20,000 cases filed in Juvenile Court every year, more than two-thirds involve a child support or custody issue. These cases may include:
- Shared parenting
- Shared custody
- Changes in sole custody
Contact the Help Center if you need assistance with a support or custody issue. One of our team members may be able to help you answer questions and guide you through the process.
Our Juvenile Court Team
- Hope Finney, Juvenile Court Attorney, Hamilton County Help Center
- Taina Betts, Juvenile Court Help Desk Clerk
- Randy Solar, Juvenile Court Help Desk Clerk
- Nick Zingarelli, Director and Chief Attorney, Hamilton County Help Center
“Unlike the other cases we hear in Juvenile Court, parties to private custody cases do not have a Constitutional right to an attorney. People are allowed to hire an attorney, but there are lots of reasons that they don’t. The lack of legal assistance can hurt children because the cases often become complicated, take longer to resolve, and give an unfair advantage to one party over another. Our Help Center team works with the parties to make sure the child or children come first.”
– Juvenile Court Administrative Judge Kari Bloom