Future law has arrived for self-represented litigants in Texas. Now, for the first time in the Lone Star State, filing a lawsuit can be done with just the click of a mouse.
Last week, the Texas Office of Court Administration officially launched its “Guide and File system” to simplify the process of completing legal forms for pro se litigants.
This online tool, similar to income tax software, walks the user through the process, step by step, helping the user navigate the state’s legal system through a number of computer-based interview questions.
The tool can be used by SRLs for a number of different case filings, including adult name changing, petitions for occupational driver licenses, small claims petitions, eviction petitions, repair and remedy petitions, and even divorce filings.
This form of legal technology resembles a resource available to those in the Land of Lincoln.
Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO), has the same mantra – helping people learn by doing. ILAO however, isn’t just geared to simplify the process of filing court documents, it also connects non-lawyers with free and inexpensive legal services. The organization even created legal “self-help” centers to assist users in resolving their legal problems via instant messaging software and in person meet-up locations.
Both the “Guide and File system” and the ILAO are great resources for those who have little to no experience in the courtroom setting. Tools like these are not only accommodating those who lack access to justice, but are also streamlining the U.S. legal system for the benefit of all, lawyers and non-lawyers alike.