D.C. Launches Six New Online Interactive Forms for Pro Se Landlords and Tenants
The D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program recently launched six interactive online court forms for use by pro se tenants and landlords. The forms include an answer in a residential landlord-tenant case, an application to proceed in forma pauperis, a motion to modify a protective order, a motion to vacate default judgment and quash writ, a motion to vacate dismissal, and a notice to quit for nonpayment of rent. Using guided A2J Author interviews and Pro Bono Net’s LawHelp Interactive service, pro se users answer a series of questions that are used to populate an approved court form that can be printed and filed. The project was done with cooperation from the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, support from the D.C. Consortium of Legal Services Providers, and funding from the D.C. Bar Foundation. -M
I received an email today from Louisiana announcing their release of new automated forms too. From their announcement:
"Lawhelp.org/la has automated court forms and related resources for very simple Orleans Parish divorce cases, available on the Self Help Court Forms area of www.lawhelp.org/la...
The uncontested divorce forms represent the work of a pilot project for the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans (CDC). The CDC forms were developed through the collaborative efforts of Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, and the Louisiana Family Law Task Force. This pilot project receives support from the LSC TIG (Technology Initiative Grant) program...
Lawhelp.org/la has other automated self help resources. These include: sample letters for tenants trying to recover their security deposits, sample letters for tenants trying to secure repairs, and a sample letter for employees trying to recover unpaid wages."
The DC Bar project is an example of a project funded by a local funder, not a federal funder, and the project being led by a non-LSC funded group. Hopefully more projects like this will start to blossom in other Bar Associations to support more pro bono assistance in cases that end up in court.
The DC Court System recently posted a self guided interview to help figure out jurisdictional issues in child custody cases. It does not assemble a document, but helps with what is often a difficult question that arises often.
http://www.dccourts.gov/dccourts/docs/flash/selfhelp/A2JViewer.html