For people who are unable to get help through legal aid and who cannot afford a private attorney, the only option may be to represent themselves in court. In fact, it is estimated that 3 out of 5 people in civil cases go to court without a lawyer. The Commission works on various policy and rule changes to adjust the court system, as well as providing user-friendly materials and information, for unrepresented litigants.
Rule Changes
The Commission works to identify rules that may need to be amended to facilitate access to courts. For example, the Commission’s proposed rule change on affidavits of indigency (Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 145) led to amended rules which brought much needed clarity regarding court cost waivers.
Simplified Forms and Kits
At the directive of the Supreme Court of Texas, the Commission has worked to develop simple, fill-in-the-blank forms that can be easily used by people who cannot afford a lawyer to resolve their legal matters. These efforts have included simplified forms and kits for protection orders, divorce, and probate.
Limited Scope Representation
The Commission has developed CLEs and other presentations to educate lawyers about the limited scope representation rules. These rules allow lawyers to provide limited help, such as drafting documents, to individuals who are otherwise representing themselves. The Doing Well While Doing Good CLE, for example, is available free of charge to attorneys who volunteer to take a case pro bono. To further assist attorneys in developing a limited scope representation practice, the Commission has developed Family Law and General Civil Law tool kits that attorneys can use as templates