Friday, May 1, 2009

A Resource for California Pro Per Litigants

Limited scope representation is a relationship between an attorney and a person seeking legal services in which it is agreed that the scope of the legal services will be limited to specific task  that the person asks the attorney to perform. This is also called “unbundling” and “discrete task representation.”

Limited scope representation helps self-represented litigants:

· Prepare their documents legibly, completely, and accurately;

· Prepare their cases based on a better understanding of the law and court procedures than they would if left on their own;

 · Obtain representation for portions of their cases, such as court hearings, even if they cannot afford full representation; and

 · Obtain assistance in preparing, understanding, and enforcing court orders.

 This assistance can reduce the number of errors in documents; limit the time wasted by the court, litigants, and opposing attorneys because of the procedural difficulties and mistakes of self-represented litigants; and decrease docket congestion and demands on court personnel. In focus groups on this topic, judges indicated a strong interest in having self-represented litigants

obtain as much information and assistance from attorneys as possible. They pointed to the California courts’ positive experience with self-help programs such as the family law facilitator program, which educates litigants and assists them with paperwork. These programs, however, cannot meet the needs of all self-represented litigants and, because of existing regulations, must limit the services they can offer.

 See Report on Limited Scope Legal Assistance With Initial Recommendations, Limited Representation Committee of the California Commission on Access to Justice, October 2001

http://www.calbar.ca.gov/calbar/pdfs/reports/2001_Unbundling-Report.pdf

 Regards, 

caselfrepresentation.com

 

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