This section is designed to provide you with answers to questions you may have concerning stalking and domestic violence laws or your legal rights. A word of caution: the answers to these questions are based on the Ohio Revised Code concerning stalking and domestic violence so some of the answers might be in legal-speak. Do not get discouraged. If you have a question about an answer that you do not understand, use the link above that says “find legal help or a place to stay” to find the legal aid office nearest to you and they will be able to assist you.

This section of the site is designed to provide victims of domestic violence or stalking with information about their legal rights, safe places to stay, where to obtain legal advice, safety plans, filing court forms, going to court and other useful resources. Some of this information can be read and then printed directly from the web page using the “Print” button at the top of your Internet window. Other information found in this section will require a special computer program called Acrobat Reader to be read and printed. If you encounter a link that requires the Acrobat Reader program for viewing, just click on the Acrobat Reader link or symbol and the computer will take you directly to that web page so that you may get a free copy of the program for your computer. Once you have the Acrobat Reader, just click back the web page your were on and the link you wanted again and the information should come up automatically.

This section of the web site is designed specifically to provide information and resources more useful for attorneys and victim advocates who assist domestic violence and stalking victims. A word of caution: although everyone is welcome to use the information found under this section, the legal-speak used may make some of this information hard to understand. In addition, just as with the section described above, some of this information can be read and then printed directly from the web page using the “Print” button at the top of your Internet window. Other information found in this section will require a special computer program called Acrobat Reader to be read and printed. If you encounter a link that requires the Acrobat Reader program for viewing, just click on the Acrobat Reader link or symbol and the computer will take you directly to that web page so that you may get a free copy of the program for your computer. Once you have the Acrobat Reader, just click back the web page you were on and the link you wanted again and the information should come up automatically.

Welcome to the Ohio DV Resources Site Help. Information provided in this site is separated into four sections. These sections are outlined by the navigation links located on the menu bar to the left of each web page. The topics of these four sections are:

This section of the web site features a system that will enable the user to prepare domestic violence civil protection and stalking order forms online. This system is password protected and designed only for use with the assistance of a victim advocate or attorney at your local domestic violence shelter or legal aid agency. Remember if you are victim of domestic violence, your first priority is your safety. If you need help immediately, contact your local domestic violence shelter or legal aid office.

One more thing, some of the links located throughout this web site are designed to take you out of this site and into another set of web pages where more info on the topic you selected may be found. If this happens, and you want to return to this web site, just click on this Internet window (which should be behind the Internet window you are currently browsing), and you will be back on the last web page in this site that you were viewing.

In addition to the links mentioned above, we have also included a link to the Ohio State Legal Services Association web site (which is the logo in the top left hand corner of the web site), as well as links to the web pages of the three organizations which have sponsored the creation of this web site (located in the bottom left hand corner of the site). When you move your mouse over these various areas/links you will see it turn to a pointing hand. Once it does, just click once on the left mouse button and another window will open to that organization’s web page. Always remember that a pointing hand always indicates that this item is a link to another web page or another section of this site.

Each of the sections described above—except the “Frequently Asked Legal Questions” section—is divided into sub-sections to better organize the information that can be found under that topic. Each sub-section has its own description and links to the resources that can be found there. Below is a list of each topic and the sub-section of information that can be found there. Feel free to use this as a guide as you navigate this site.

Resources; Information on Courts; Going to Court Alone; Print A Copy of Court Forms & Instructions

Ohio Revised Code; Case Summaries; New Domestic Violence Developments; Tips for Advocates; Print A Copy of Court Forms & Instructions

Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order; Stalking Civil Protection Order

This button allows you to email the “keeper of the web site” directly. You may report any problems you are having with accessing anything on the site at anytime using this link.

If at any time you are having trouble with any of the links or features of this site, please don’t hesitate to contact our web master using the “Contact Us” link in the top menu bar. Feel free to check the help section periodically for further assistance with site navigation and functions. We also encourage you to use the “Site Comments” link to tell us what you liked or disliked about the web site so that we may make improvements as needed.

This button is a link that will take you back to the very first page of this web site. If you ever get lost within the site, you can always use the “Home” button to get you back to the beginning so that you start your information search again.

Across the top of this web site, there is a second set of buttons in a menu bar that you might also find useful. Their functions are as follows:

This button leads to a general feedback form which is designed to help us evaluate this site and make improvements where needed. We encourage you to fill out this form every time you visit the site so that we can better understand how well this site is serving you.

Well, this is where you are now. This portion of this web site is designed to provide you with a brief overview of what information can be found in this site and how it can be used to assist you in getting the help that you need.

This site includes a feature that will allow you to search for any information you want on domestic violence or stalking. All you have to do is type in a word that best describes the type of information you are looking for and then hit the word “go” next to the text box, and the computer will “search this web site for that word. Remember, the search is restricted to our web site ONLY. You cannot use this feature to search the entire Internet for the information you are looking for.