by Patricia Glover, CLDP, CP/ACP, CNSA Certified Legal Document Preparer, Glover Court Solutions &
Estate Planning
According to the American Bar Association Commission on the Future of Legal Services: “(M)ost people living in poverty, and the majority of moderate-income individuals, do not receive the legal help they need.”
In 2017, the Legal Services Corporation released a report saying that 86% of legal matters involving low-income parties received either inadequate legal help or none at all.
Attorneys’ fees have skyrocketed in recent years, leaving many Arizonans unrepresented and their legal rights and basic human needs ignored. There are, however, alternatives that aim to bridge the “justice gap” such as retaining a certified legal document preparer (LDP) or legal paraprofessional (LP).
Unlike paralegals, whose work must be supervised by an attorney, LDPs and LPs are legal professionals who have specific education and experience, have passed examinations (similar to mini bar exams), and who have obtained licensure through the Arizona Supreme Court to allow them to provide legal services to the general public without attorney regulation.
LDPs are licensed to prepare any legal document for self-represented parties (e.g., estate plans, child support orders, etc.), whereas LPs are licensed to give limited scope legal advice, negotiate rights and represent clients in a courtroom in matters involving family law, civil litigation, criminal law, administrative law and juvenile law proceedings.
Life happens. And it sometimes leads to a courtroom or other legal challenge. No one should have to choose between paying for quality legal services or maintaining life’s necessities.
