Self-Represented Litigants and the Courts

In response to the many requests for additional information on the statewide forms proposed by the Supreme Court's Uniform Forms Task Force, the Texas Access to Justice Commission is providing the following:

1. Executive Summary
2. Reports Sent to Supreme Court Advisory Committee or Supreme Court by Commission, Texas Family Law Foundation and SBOT Family Law Section, and SBOT Solutions 2012 Task Force.
3. Research Conducted by the Commission on Statewide Forms in the 50 States plus D.C.
4. Correspondence Relating to Forms from the Commission Chair, the Family Law Section Chair, the State Bar President, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas
5. Forms and Instructions for the Uncontested Divorce with No Minor Children and No Real Property Kit Sent to the Court for Approval on January 11, 2012
6. Supplemental Report to the Court on the Activities of the Commission's Self-Represented Litigant Committee and its Six Subcommittees (referred to as the "Seven Point Plan" by the Family Law Section Chair and the Texas Family Council)
7. Press Coverage

Please feel free to contact Trish McAllister, Executive Director of the Commission, for additional information, data or research, including extensive research conducted by an independent party, at atjmail@texasbar.com, or 512.427.1855.   

Executive Summary                           

Documents sent to Supreme Court Advisory Committee or Supreme Court:

 1. Texas Access to Justice Commission:

• Commission Report to Advisory Committee
• Exhibits to Report
• Brief on Supreme Court's authority to promulgate forms
• Appendix to Brief
  
• Supplemental SRL Committee Report 

2.  Texas Family Law Foundation and Family Law Section:

• Response to the Report
• Letter to the Court May 2, 2012

3.  SBOT Solutions 2012 Task Force:

• Report to the State Bar Board of Directors
    

Research

1. State Responses on Statewide Forms
2. States Form Research
3. Pro Se Statistics Summary
4. National Center for State Courts Survey on Forms

Correspondence

1. Family Law Chair Email to Family Law Section No. 1 - Aug. 8, 2011
2. Commission Email to Family Law Chair - Aug. 10, 2011
3. Family Law Chair Email to Family Law Section No. 2 - Aug. 11, 2011
4. Commission Response to Family Law Email - Aug. 18, 2011
5. Family Law Chair Letter to Commission Chair Aug. 24, 2011
6. Commission Chair Letter to Family Law Chair Aug. 29, 2011
7. Family Law Foundation Email No. 3 & Survey - Aug. 30, 2011
8. Forms Task Force Chair to Family Law Chair - Sept 20, 2012
9. Family Law Chair Email to Family Law Section No. 4 - Oct 12, 2011
10. Family Law Chair Email to Family Law Section No. 5 - Dec 21, 2011
11. Family Law Chair Email to Family Law Section No. 6 - Dec 27, 2011
12. Family Law Chair Letter to Bar Pres. - Jan. 2, 2012
13. Commission Letter to Bar Board - Jan. 3, 2012
14. Bar Pres. Letter to Supreme Court - Jan. 5, 2012
15. Commission Letter to Supreme Court - Jan. 6, 2012
16. OCA Memo to Court - Jan. 6 2012
17. Family Law Chair Email No.7 Stmt on ATJ Contributions - Jan. 25, 2012
18. Court Letter to Bar Pres. - Jan. 25 2011
19. Forms Task Force Chair Letter to Family Law Chair - Jan. 26, 2012
20. Family Law Chair Email to Family Law Section No. 8 - Jan. 27, 2012
21. Bar Pres. Letter to Court re Bar Task Force - Jan. 30, 2012
22. Family Law Chair to Forms Task Force Chair - Feb. 2, 2012   
23. Family Law Chair Email to Family Law Section No. 9 - Feb. 14, 2012
24. Family Law Chair Email to Family Law Section No. 10 - Feb. 16, 2012
25. Family Law Chair Email to Family Law Section No. 11 - Mar. 14, 2012
26. Family Law Chair Email to Family Law Section No. 12 - Mar. 29, 2012
27. Family Law Chair Email to Family Law Section No. 13 - Apr. 3, 2012
28. Family Law Chair Email to Family Law Section No. 14 - Apr. 16, 2012
29. Family Law Chair Email to Family Law Section No. 15 - May 8, 2012

     

Forms and Instructions:

The Instructions, Petition for Divorce, Waiver of Citation, and Final Decree of Divorce have been changed based on input from the members of the Supreme Court Advisory Committee subcommittee assigned to review the forms. Language added to the forms has been highlighted.

1. Instructions
2. Affidavit of Inability to Pay Costs
3. Original Petition of Divorce
4. Answer
5. Waiver
6. Final Decree of Divorce
7. Certificate of Last Known Address
8. Notice of Change of Address
9. Affidavit of Military Status   

Supplemental SRL Committee Report  

Press Coverage on Statewide Forms

May 7, 2012
TAJC Committee Studying Changes to Civil-Procedure Rule on Forms - Texas Lawyer Blog

April 23, 2012
Forms Fracas Inches Toward Summer Finale - Texas Lawyer

April 17, 2012
Pro/Con View: Should Texas Allow DIY Divorce Forms - Beaumont Enterprise

April 16, 2012
Texas Wants to Make DIY Divorces Easier, But Judge Asks: Aren't They Easy Enough Already - Dallas Observer

April 13, 2012

Texas Supreme Court Considers DIY Divorce - YNN

Panel Considers Forms That Would Allow Lawyer-Less Divorces - Dallas News

Texas Supreme Court Board Mulls Divorce Forms - Houston Chronicle

Texas Supreme Court Board Mulls Divorce Forms - Austin American Statesman

April 12, 2012
Battle Heats Up Before Supreme Court Advisory Committee Reviews Pro Se Divorce Forms - Tex Parte Blog

April 12, 2012
Do-It-Yourself Divorces Could Be Coming To Texas - Public News Service

April 11, 2012
Give DIY Litigants Help With Forms - San Antonio Express News Editorial Board

April 11, 2012
Conflicting Claims Emerge on Pro Se Uncontested Divorce Kits - Quorum Report

April 9, 2012
Some Say Proposed Divorce Procedures for the Poor Have More Impact Than Intended - Quorum Report

April 6, 2012
Texans Need a DIY Divorce Option - San Antonio Express News

April 2, 2012
High Court, Family Lawyers Debate Push for Standardized Divorce Forms - American Statesman

March 4, 2012
For an Easy, Affordable, Lawyer-Free Divorce, Check "Yes": View - Bloomberg

February 24, 2012
Divorce-by-Form Riles Texas Bar - The Wall Street Journal

February 20, 2012
Another Forms Dispute, Family Law Groups Want More Disclosure - Texas Lawyer

February 15, 2012
Family Law Groups Push for More Disclosure After Forms Dispute - Law.Com

February 12, 2012
Judge: Complicated Divorce Process Slows Down Court - Tyler Paper

February 10, 2012
Texas Suffering From Shortage of Free Legal Aid - KAVU Victoria

February 9, 2012
Simplified Divorce Forms Meet with Opposition from Some Abilene Attorneys - Abilene Reporter-News

February 8, 2012
No Money? Thinking You Can't Get Legal Help? - Victoria Advocate

February 6, 2012
Bar Task Force to Study Issues Related to Indigent Pro Se Litigants - Texas Lawyer

February 3, 2012
Kilday Hart - Divorce Forms Divide Two Groups of Texas Lawyers - Houston Chronicle

February 2, 2012
Panel Drafts Forms for Do-It-yourself Divorce - KUT Radio - Austin

February 1, 2012
State Considering Standardized Form for Simpler Divorces - Waco Tribune-Herald

January 30, 2012
Court Won't Suspend Task Force's Work on Pro Se Divorce Forms - Texas Lawyer

January 28, 2012
Do-It-Yourself Litigants Need Help - San Antonio Express-News

January 26, 2012
Texas High Court Moves Forward to Create Divorce Forms - KDAF-TV

January 25, 2012
"Divorce Form" Question Worries Family Law Attorneys - WOAI News Radio 1200

January 25, 2012
Easier Divorces? - KTSM News Channel 9 - El Paso

January 25, 2012
Divorce Forms A Step Closer to Reality - KXAN, NBC-TV Austin

January 25, 2012
Texas High Court Moves Forward to Create Divorce Forms - Texas Tribune

January 24, 2012
Some Family Lawyers Oppose Creating Divorce Forms - Texas Tribune

January 20, 2012
State Bar of Texas Board Votes to Ask Supreme Court to Suspend Work of Task Force - TexParte Blog

January 16, 2012
Draft Forms for Pro Se Divorce Litigants Create Controversy - Texas Lawyer

National Press Coverage on Self-Represented Litigants

February 3, 2012

Pro Bono Services, Help for Pro Se Litigants Needed to Bridge Funding Gap, Say Legal Aid Providers

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ABA Now

September 13, 2011
Is it time for mandatory pro bono? - The National Law Journal