Assisted Pro Se Website Project

Utah Legal Services - 030029

Abstract Number: 030029

February 2003

Utah Legal Services (ULS) developed an Assisted Pro Se Website that enables volunteer attorneys to provide pro se assistance online to self-represented litigants who are filing a no fault divorce. While currently in development, this project maximizes the ease with which volunteer attorneys can provide assistance to self-represented litigants. ULS anticipates formally launching this project in the next few months.

In Utah, approximately 15% of no fault divorces are completed using Utah's Online Court Assistance Program (OCAP), a court administered website that allows users to complete pleadings and documents online. Utah Legal Services' Assisted Pro Se Website dovetails with OCAP by allowing OCAP users during their session to register, if eligible, for a volunteer attorney to review their paperwork prior to filing it with the court. Once the self-represented litigant completes the initial paperwork, an email is automatically generated and sent to the next volunteer attorney registered to participate in this program. The email requests for the attorney to log onto the website and review the pleadings.

The volunteer attorney is provided with the litigants' name, birth date, and city to determine if there are any potential conflicts of interest. At this time, the attorney can either reject or accept the case. If rejected, an email is sent to the next volunteer attorney on the list. If they accept, a number of automated timers are set into motion to provide reminders for the attorney to ensure they take action on the case in a timely manner. Attorneys log onto the Assisted Pro Se Website and review the completed forms. During the review, the attorney may contact the self-represented litigant and discuss any potential problems, deficiencies, or inconsistencies with the forms. After the attorney completes the review, the self-represented litigant can print out the forms and file the forms with the court.

The implementation of the Assisted Pro Se Website provides additional support to low-income self-represented litigants. However Utah Legal Services intends to buttress the efforts of volunteer attorneys by providing further education through attorney run pro se divorce clinics. The need for these clinics stems from the confusion that often accompanies navigating the legal system without the aid of an attorney and the potential for lasting negative consequences which could possibly result in severely restricted visitation rights or bearing sole responsibility for massive debts.

Utah Legal Services plans to support the Assisted Pro Se website by holding clinics where divorce law can be explained in detail and, if people are interested in filing a pro se divorce, they can meet an attorney at the clinic who can, if available, assist them through the process using ULS' website. ULS hopes to involve 40 to 50 lawyers in the project. For more information, visit: OCAP's website at: http://www.utcourts.gov/ocap/index.html and Utah Legal Services Website at: http://www.andjusticeforall.org/uls/.

Contact Information:

Ken Bresin
Utah Legal Services
254 West 400 South, 2nd Floor
Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
Phone: (801) 328-8891 x3303
Fax: (801) 328-8898
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