Offices are closed on November 28 & 29 in observance of Thanksgiving. Please visit our service center to see if your need can be fulfilled online.

Legal Self-Help Center

About Us

The Legal Self-Help Center (LSHC) is a hub for information about civil (non-criminal) legal issues and court procedures in Ottawa County.

LSHC staff can:

LSHC staff cannot tell you your best course of action (legal advice). If you need legal advice, you must contact an attorney.

Kiosks are located throughout the county

At the FREE kiosks, you can access and print legal self-help center forms at no cost, attend a hearing or Friend of the Court meeting via Zoom, electronically file Court documents (Mifile), pay fines and costs, and more. You can find a kiosk at:

  • OTTAWA COUNTY FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER - WEST OLIVE
  • HUDSONVILLE COURTHOUSE
  • HOLLAND COURTHOUSE
  • LATIN AMERICAN'S UNITED FOR PROGRESS (LAUP) - HOLLAND
  • HOWARD MILLER LIBRARY - ZEELAND
  • HERRICK MAIN LIBRARY - HOLLAND
  • HERRICK NORTH BRANCH - HOLLAND
  • COOPERSVILLE LIBRARY - COOPERSVILLE
  • RESILIENCE - HOLLAND
  • SPRING LAKE DISTRICT LIBRARY

Representing Yourself?

You must be able to:

  • Understand laws relevant to your issues
  • Understand court processes
  • Identify which court paperwork is correct for your purposes
  • Understand how to complete court paperwork
  • Complete all steps of the court process in a timely manner
  • Attend court hearings
  • Keep organized

Need an attorney?

Legal Aid

Legal Aid of Western Michigan is a nonprofit law firm providing free legal advice and representation in a broad range of areas including consumer cases, family matters, housing problems, government benefits, and much more.

Lawyer Referral

Attorneys listed on the websites linked below are not pro bono attorneys. In most instances, if you decide to hire an attorney, he or she will expect to be paid.

Hours