BATAVIA, Ohio — Gaining access to legal services in rural counties has been difficult for Ohioans who lack transportation and other resources. The Ohio Access to Justice Foundation is trying to help — offering services to those in need for free.

Clermont County resident Lindsay Riley is one of the first in her area to check out the free services.

“I’m not familiar with a lot of the forms and stuff to file and to fill out so financial issues are a key too,” said Riley.

For months now she’s been looking for help to get custody of her two sons. She also needed help with documentation for one of her sons for schooling. Now with the resources from the Justice Bus, she said she’s now one step closer.

“I was actually able to go in, get that documentation,” she said. “They printed it off and I was able to file a motion for emergency custody.”

Ohio Justice Bus Attorney Jack Maib said traveling across Ohio to provide free legal advice to Ohioans like Riley is one of their goals.

The bus is there to provide resources, whether it is Wi-Fi or actual legal advice for a legal aid. It’s free for people who may not be able to afford an attorney or may not have the means to get to the city.

“We have traditionally done that in the rural counties where there are maybe a lack of attorneys or a hard time accessing clients as well as in the local cities where there are just local clients who have their own reasons having a hard time finding attorneys,” said Maib.

As Riley awaits her court date in September, she said she feels more prepared and more confident that she can win the fight to regain custody of her sons.

“I wouldn’t have even known to do that if I wouldn’t have been able to come in here and talk to them prior to doing so,” she said.

For more information, visit the Ohio Justice website.