The Orange County Clerk of Courts opened its Self Help Center in Apopka on Tuesday, with an official ribbon cutting.
The Clerk's Self Help Center is designed to provide legal assistance to Orange County citizens who do not have a private attorney, make it closer to Apopka residents, and easier to navigate the process.
The Self Help Center will provide the following:
Family Law (excluding injunctions)
Child Custody/Support
Divorce
Paternity
Small Claims
Residential Evictions
and more
“The Self Help Center has been one of my biggest priorities because I know that many people in our community need affordable legal assistance which gives them better access to justice,” said Orange County Clerk of the Court Tiffany Moore Russell. "The downtown courthouse can be intimidating, and some people just say 'I'm not going to deal with it'. And 80% of our society is never going to be able to afford an attorney. So the hope for this center is to help those individuals navigate our justice system with ease and affordability."
At the Apopka location, Self Help services are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Self Help Center assists with Family Law, Small Claims, and Residential Evictions. Services include attorney consultations, form completion assistance, and notary and copy services.
Attorney consultations are available and may be scheduled in 15-minute sessions, for up to 1 hour per day, per person. The cost for an attorney consultation is $1 per minute. To schedule an appointment, go to our website at www.myorangeclerk.com where appointments can be made directly online.
Apopka Mayor Joe Kilsheimer was pleased that Orange County recognized the need for these services in Apopka.
"Apopka is the second largest city in Orange County. More than 50,000 residents live here. And Apopka is also the second fastest growing city in Orange/Osceola (Counties) and when the Wekiva Parkway opens we will surely become the fastest. So the need for this type of Center is clear."