2025-03-27T13:10:23-05:00 2024-06-30 310800053 CLARK SCHAEFER HACKETT & CO 4449 EASTON WAY SUITE 400 COLUMBUS OH 43219 990 2023-07-01 830571864 OHIO LEGAL HELP OHIO 6142856875 88 E BROAD STREET SUITE 720 COLUMBUS OH 43215 SUSAN A CHOE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 6142856875 2025-03-27 1 0 NATOSHA CARR P01225377 6148852208 2025-03-27 2023 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z SUSAN CHOE 88 E BROAD STREET SUITE 720 COLUMBUS OH 43215 1058284 0 X HTTPS://WWW.OHIOLEGALHELP.ORG/ X 2018 OH OHIO LEGAL HELP LEVERAGES TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION TO IMPROVE JUSTICE AND FAIRNESS FOR ALL OHIOANS. OUR WORK REMOVES BARRIERS TO THE LAW SO THAT ALL OHIOANS CAN UNDERSTAND THEIR LEGAL OPTIONS, MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS AND CONNECT TO LEGAL AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES. 9 9 5 25 0 0 877886 1057902 0 0 3 7 550 375 878439 1058284 0 0 0 0 590836 635267 0 0 19269 142963 246165 733799 881432 144640 176852 608825 844523 32122 90968 576703 753555 OHIO LEGAL HELP LEVERAGES TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION TO IMPROVE JUSTICE AND FAIRNESS FOR ALL OHIOANS. OUR WORK REMOVES BARRIERS TO THE LAW SO THAT ALL OHIOANS CAN UNDERSTAND THEIR LEGAL OPTIONS, MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS AND CONNECT TO LEGAL AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES. 0 0 782934 92 PERCENT OF CIVIL LEGAL PROBLEMS REPORTED BY LOW-INCOME AMERICANS RECEIVE INADEQUATE OR NO LEGAL HELP. PEOPLE WHO NEED LEGAL HELP THE MOST ARE OFTEN THE ONES WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO IT. IT IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE CALLED THE JUSTICE GAP, AND IT REFERS TO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CIVIL LEGAL NEEDS OF LOW-INCOME AMERICANS AND THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO MEET THOSE NEEDS. OHIO LEGAL HELP WAS CREATED TO BRIDGE AND CLOSE THIS JUSTICE GAP IN OHIO. AS A STATEWIDE, SECURE MOBILE-FIRST HUB OF LEGAL INFORMATION, FORMS AND RESOURCES, OHIO LEGAL HELP BRIDGES THE JUSTICE GAP FOR OHIOANS IN NEED BY CONNECTING THEM TO CRITICAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD IN THEIR LIVES.(PROGRAM DESCRIPTION CONTINUED IN SCHEDULE O) 782934 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 1 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 X X SUSAN A CHOE 6142856875 88 E BROAD STREET SUITE 720 COLUMBUS OH 43215 SUSAN CHOE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40.00 X 154827 0 35732 BRANDI MARTIN DIRECTOR 0.50 X 0 0 0 CHERYL BROOKS SULLIVAN DIRECTOR 0.50 X 0 0 0 JON HOLT DIRECTOR 0.50 X 0 0 0 JOSE BAUTISTA DIRECTOR 0.50 X 0 0 0 MARK NYLANDER DIRECTOR 0.50 X 0 0 0 DAVID KUTIK PRESIDENT 2.00 X X 0 0 0 SALLY BLOOMFIELD VICE PRESIDENT 2.00 X X 0 0 0 JOHN PINNEY TREASURER 2.00 X X 0 0 0 UKEME AWAKESSIEN JETER SECRETARY 2.00 X X 0 0 0 154827 0 35732 1 0 1 0 CAPELLIC LLC 1398 E VERSAILLE CT BOISE ID 83706 WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE 114903 1 1057902 1057902 7 7 MISCELLANEOUS 900099 375 375 375 1058284 0 0 382 190559 168958 16465 5136 330780 293287 28578 8915 16548 14672 1430 446 60131 53315 5195 1621 37249 33024 3220 1005 10480 10480 6406 6406 9554 8599 955 6423 5007 1095 321 115781 114232 1239 310 9642 8525 838 279 2809 2388 140 281 422 422 80505 80505 2058 2058 DUES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS 2032 2032 BANK SERVICE CHARGES 53 53 881432 782934 79229 19269 124062 398754 125000 14372 17050 604839 176120 345391 428719 608825 844523 32122 90968 32122 90968 X 502335 710716 74368 42839 576703 753555 608825 844523 176852 0 X X 0 1 X 1 0 X 534526 799867 511045 877886 1057902 3781226 534526 799867 511045 877886 1057902 3781226 3781226 61 10 8 3 7 89 250 900 550 375 2075 3783390 0.99940 0.99940 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 604839 176120 428719 428719 1073576 15292 15292 1058284 0 1058284 896724 15292 15292 881432 0 881432 X X X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 SUSAN CHOE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 154827 0 0 0 0 0 7741 0 27991 0 190559 0 0 0 PART I, LINE 3 ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AT OHIO LEGAL HELP'S JUNE MEETING, THE FULL BOARD DISCUSSES THE SALARY AND COMPENSATION OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE SALARY AND COMPENSATION OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR IS THEN SET BASED UPON HER ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW AND REVIEW OF EXECUTIVE SALARIES FROM COMPARABLE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN OHIO AND NATIONALLY. FORM 990, PART III, LINE 4A: OHIO LEGAL HELP EMPOWERS OHIOANS TO UNDERSTAND THEIR LEGAL OPTIONS, MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS AND TAKE ACTION. THIS YEAR, 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. IN 2022, OHIO LEGAL HELP WAS RECOGNIZED AS A NATIONAL LEADER IN PROVIDING EASY TO ACCESS, PLAIN-LANGUAGE, HIGH-QUALITY LEGAL INFORMATION. THIS ACKNOWLEDGMENT REAFFIRMED OUR COMMITMENT TO USER-FRIENDLY DESIGN, BUT WE KNEW THERE WAS MORE TO DO. WE'VE LEVERAGED TECHNOLOGY TO REACH MORE PEOPLE, COLLABORATED WITH PARTNERS TO CREATE NEW LEGAL CONTENT, AND CONTINUED TO INNOVATE SO THAT EVERY OHIOAN, REGARDLESS OF INCOME, HAS THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO NAVIGATE THE LEGAL SYSTEM. HERE'S A LOOK AT SOME OF THE WORK WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST YEAR TO EXPAND ACCESS TO LEGAL HELP ACROSS OHIO. EXPANDING ACCESS ACROSS OHIO: FIVE YEARS AGO, OHIO LEGAL HELP LAUNCHED WITH A SIMPLE BUT POWERFUL GOAL: TO PROVIDE CLEAR, RELIABLE LEGAL INFORMATION AND RESOURCES TO HELP OHIOANS NAVIGATE THE LEGAL SYSTEM. SINCE THEN, WE HAVE SERVED MILLIONS OF OHIOANS - PEOPLE FACING EVICTION, SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND FAMILIES DEALING WITH COMPLEX LEGAL ISSUES FOR THE FIRST TIME. OHIO LEGAL HELP'S 2024 USER METRICS WERE AS FOLLOWS: O TOTAL USERS ASSISTED: 757,206 O TOTAL VISITS TO OHIOLEGALHELP.ORG: 990,792 O TOTAL PAGES VISITED ON OHIOLEGALHELP.ORG: 2.0 MILLION O TOTAL NUMBER OF REFERRALS: 194,053 BROKEN DOWN THROUGH - O COURTS: 82,771 O LEGAL AIDS (INCLUDING PRO SENIORS): 27,645 O PRIVATE BAR ASSOCIATIONS (LAWYER REFERRAL SERVICE): 12,041 O PUBLIC DEFENDERS AND COURT APPOINTED COUNSEL: 8,088 O SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES: 63,508 USER PROFILE: O VISITING ON A MOBILE PHONE OR TABLET (70%) O AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD SIZE OF 3 PEOPLE O HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS LESS THAN 200% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL (80%) O NEARLY HALF (49%) FALL INTO A SPECIAL DEMOGRAPHIC WHETHER THAT'S FACING HOMELESSNESS (49%), EXPERIENCING VIOLENCE OR ABUSE (32%), OVER THE AGE OF 60 (29%), OR A VETERAN (15%). OUR TOP PAGES VISITED IN 2024 WERE NAME CHANGE, PROTECTION ORDERS, DISSOLUTION, THE 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 NAVIGATE FAMILY LAW CASES WITH GREATER CONFIDENCE. 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. OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, OHIO LEGAL HELP HAS BECOME A TRUSTED RESOURCE FOR MORE THAN 3.7 MILLION USERS, 80% OF WHOM LIVE AT OR BELOW 200% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL. AS WE REFLECT ON THIS IMPACT, WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO EXPANDING ACCESS ACROSS OHIO IN THE YEARS TO COME. COLLABORATION FOR GREATER ACCESS: 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. THIS YEAR, WE PARTNERED WITH THE SUPREME COURT OF OHIO TO DEVELOP A NEW STALKING AND SEXUALLY ORIENTED OFFENSE PROTECTION ORDER TOOL, 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 SITE IS AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH BY MOBILE PHONE, TABLET, OR COMPUTER 24/7; AND HAS INFORMATION ON THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CIVIL PROTECTION ORDERS, ONLINE STALKING, AND GATHERING EVIDENCE FROM YOUR PHONE. WE ALSO LAUNCHED A NEW MENTAL HEALTH MODULE, AVAILABLE 24/7, TO MEET AND SUPPORT USERS WHERE THEY ARE AND EMPOWER THEM TO 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. IT ALSO FEATURES A GUIDED INTERVIEW TO HELP USERS COMPLETE OHIO'S DECLARATION OF MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT - AN ADVANCE DIRECTIVE THAT ALLOWS INDIVIDUALS TO OUTLINE THEIR CARE PREFERENCES IN THE EVENT OF A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. INNOVATING FOR ACCESS TO JUSTICE: TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES TO BE A DRIVER IN MAKING IN EXPANDING ACCESS TO LEGAL HELP. IN 2024, WE EXPANDED OUR VIRTUAL SELF-HELP CENTERS, BRINGING CRITICAL LEGAL RESOURCES TO MORE COMMUNITIES. BUILDING ON THE SUCCESS OF OUR FIRST VIRTUAL SELF-HELP CENTER (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-FIRST PLATFORM PROVIDES SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANTS WITH ACCESS TO COURT FORMS, STEP-BY-STEP LEGAL INFORMATION, AND THE ABILITY TO BEGIN THEIR CASE FILINGS FROM HOME. 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 FOR THEM TO ACCESS AND NAVIGATE THE LEGAL SYSTEM. CUYAHOGA RESIDENTS WHO CANNOT AFFORD LEGAL REPRESENTATION WILL BE THE PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES OF THE VSHC, BUT IT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANTS NAVIGATING THEIR CASES IN THE CUYAHOGA COUNTY DOMESTIC RELATIONS COURT, WHICH HANDLES NEARLY 7,700 CASES A YEAR. THE CUYAHOGA AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY VSHCS ARE EXPECTED TO SERVE NEARLY 35,000 FAMILIES IN 2025. THE SUCCESS OF THESE CENTERS HAS LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR FURTHER EXPANSION, WITH A NEW VSHC SET TO LAUNCH IN LORAIN COUNTY IN SPRING 2025, ENSURING EVEN MORE COMMUNITIES HAVE ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL LEGAL RESOURCES. LOOKING AHEAD: AS WE MARK FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE, WE ARE PROUD OF THE IMPACT WE'VE MADE - BUT WE KNOW THERE IS STILL MORE TO DO. WHETHER IT'S HELPING SOMEONE STAY IN THEIR HOME OR OBTAIN A PROTECTION ORDER, OUR MISSION REMAINS THE SAME: TO EMPOWER OHIOANS WITH THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO RESOLVE THEIR LEGAL ISSUES. 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. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 11B THE FORM 990 IS DISTRIBUTED TO THE FULL BOARD FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL PRIOR TO FILING. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 12C OHIO LEGAL HELP'S CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY AND PROCEDURE EXTENDS TO ALL DIRECTORS AND TO OHIO LEGAL HELP'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. EACH DIRECTOR AND OFFICER MUST ANNUALLY COMPLETE AND SIGN THE "ANNUAL BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST FORM". DETERMINATIONS OF WHETHER AN ACTUAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST EXISTS ARE MADE BY THE BOARD THROUGH A MAJORITY VOTE WHICH EXCLUDES THE VOTE OF A POTENTIALLY CONFLICTED DIRECTOR(S). NO DIRECTOR OR OFFICER MAY PRESIDE OVER, VOTE ON, OR PARTICIPATE IN ANY DELIBERATION OF ANY MATTER IN WHICH SUCH DIRECTOR OR OFFICER HAS A CONFLICT OR POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 15A ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AT OHIO LEGAL HELP'S JUNE MEETING, THE FULL BOARD DISCUSSES THE SALARY AND COMPENSATION OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE SALARY AND COMPENSATION OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR IS THEN SET BASED UPON HER ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW AND REVIEW OF EXECUTIVE SALARIES FROM COMPARABLE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN OHIO AND NATIONALLY. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION C, LINE 19 THE ORGANIZATION MAKES AVAILABLE ALL DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY LAW. FORM 990, PART XII, LINE 2C: THE OVERSIGHT PROCESS HAS NOT CHANGED FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.