If your spouse controls the money, it can feel like divorce is out of reach. We brought in family law specialist Tara Price to chart a realistic path for starting strong, even with zero income. From brief legal clinics to fee waivers, this conversation focuses on action steps that protect your rights without sinking your savings.

We talk through why many firms now charge for consults and how to fund that first crucial meeting—using joint accounts carefully, opening a small personal credit line before separation, and understanding when a court might order the other party to contribute to your fees. Tara shares the most reliable low-cost help in Ohio: the Legal Aid Society of Central Ohio, the Justice Mobile’s rotating clinics at libraries and food pantries, and county-based offerings like the Hope Center and Andrew’s House, often supported by the statewide Justice Bus. These clinics can answer targeted questions, print and prep forms, and point you to the right next step—whether you’re filing, responding, or seeking temporary orders.

We also dig into the nuts and bolts of filing correctly. Ohio’s statewide pro se family law forms are accepted everywhere, but each county adds local rules and extra documents that can make or break your case. Courthouse self-help centers can’t provide legal advice, yet they will guide you through the forms, computers, and procedures to get your case on track. For specialized issues—immigration, appeals, or protection orders—Tara explains how to find the right referrals, including the Ohio Domestic Violence Network’s legal resources. And don’t overlook law school clinics staffed by supervised students; they’re thorough, motivated, and often free or low cost.

If you’re stuck at the starting line, this episode gives you a map: where to go, what to ask, which forms to use, and how to keep costs under control. Subscribe, share with someone who needs a way forward, and leave a review telling us which resource helped you take your first step.

Resources mentioned in the podcast

• Legal Aid Society of Central Ohio – www.lasco.org
• Brief legal advice clinics (Franklin County) through Justice Mobile – Legal Services | The JusticeMobile | United States
• Ohio Supreme Court’s pro se domestic relations forms – Domestic Relations and Juvenile Standardized Forms » Supreme Court of Ohio
• Indigency affidavit – Civil Fee Waiver Affidavit and Order
• Union County’s Hope Legal Clinic – The Hope Center Emergency Assistance Program - The Hope Center
• Franklin County’s self-represented resource

Hi and welcome to Thrive and Decide. I’m your host Sarah Thress. This podcast is intended to help women who are going through a divorce, continplating divorce or have lost a spouse feel seen, heard, understood and not alone. All the beautiful souls who share on here are coming from a place of vulnerability and a common belief that sharing your story will help others. You will also hear from industry experts on what to do and not do while going through a divorce.

Sarah Thress
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