Judge Luann Cooperrider estimates the free legal clinic has served more than 1,500 people who can't afford an attorney.

Judge Luann Cooperrider estimates the free legal clinic has served more than 1,500 people who can't afford an attorney.

Sitting as a judge means serving a community. That’s why Perry County Probate and Juvenile Judge Luann Cooperrider has a program to assist people with legal issues who can’t afford a lawyer.

“I believe in getting off the bench and seeing the people who share my community,” said Judge Cooperrider, who has held the seat in her native county for 32 years.

Judge Cooperrider is celebrating her 15th year coordinating the Perry County Free Legal Clinic. The monthly event – held with the support of Perry County Municipal Judge Dean Wilson, Southeastern Ohio Legal Services, and volunteer attorneys – assists people who can’t afford a lawyer with civil cases, such as evictions, divorces, and child custody issues. Legal aid and volunteer attorneys help clients fill out court forms, explain the steps needed to resolve legal issues, and, sometimes, agree to take a case.

“We’re giving people needed assistance through what can be a very complex system. At the very least, we’re pointing them in the right direction,” said Judge Cooperrider, who says the program has assisted around 1,500 people to date.

The idea for the legal clinic came from the challenges Judge Cooperrider saw in court visitors trying to navigate the justice system without any guidance from an attorney. Some would physically get lost in a 19th century courthouse that holds three separate courts – municipal, common pleas, and probate and juvenile. Others wouldn’t know the paperwork or documentation needed for filings. The legal clinic removes the guesswork.

“People simply need to come to the probate court where they’re assigned an attorney. We also prepare all the necessary court forms, so all the paperwork they and their attorney need are right there,” said Judge Cooperrider.

The program’s longevity has allowed the judge to resolve more complicated issues during special legal clinics that require assistance from other agencies, like the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and Department of Job and Family Services. There have been driver’s license reinstatement clinics to get people legally back on the road and criminal record sealing clinics so people with low-level offenses aren’t hindered by their past when applying for jobs or housing.

For Judge Cooperrider, each case is an opportunity to remove a barrier in someone’s life. It can be someone trying to move on from a divorce, addressing an old issue with the law, or reconnecting with a child through visitation.

“We’re all a part of Perry County. The more we can help people resolve problems that are holding back their lives, the more we can move forward as a community,” Judge Cooperrider said.