Washington County First to Create List
St. George, UT—Individuals who cannot afford to hire an attorney—commonly known as self-represented litigants—can now more easily access legal help thanks to efforts by the Utah State Courts, the Utah State Bar, and the Southern Utah Bar Association.
As the name implies, self-represented litigants represent themselves in court rather than have an attorney do so. A 2006 survey conducted by the Utah State Courts found that people who represent themselves in court often do so because they cannot afford to hire an attorney. However, attorneys are available to offer limited legal help to individuals seeking assistance on only part of their case. The Utah State Courts’ Standing Committee on Resources for Self-Represented Parties recognized a need promote the availability of limited legal help and approached the Utah State Bar for assistance. The Bar’s initial effort resulted in a roster of about 24 attorneys in St. George who are able to provide limited legal help.
“Without any legal help an individual can face many obstacles in court,” said Fifth District Court Judge James Shumate, chair of the Bar Liaison Working Group, which is a subgroup of the Standing Committee on Self-Represented Parties. “Our goal is to provide low income individuals with information about limited legal help and where they can access these resources.”
The Southern Utah Bar Association maintains the roster of St. George attorneys offering limited legal help. Copies are available through the Bar and at the Washington County Courthouse. The State Courts and State Bar will continue efforts to broaden the availability of limited legal help throughout the state.