AI use by pro se litigants presents challenges for courts
AI’s presence in court filings seems to only be gaining traction. According to data from legal analyst Damien Charlotin, parties are increasingly using the technology to bolster their cases.
Pro se
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The verdict on Zoom: New report says remote hearings provide relief from traditional court challenges
A team of researchers produced a new report, “Accessing Justice with Zoom: Experiences and Outcomes in Online Civil Courts,” which found more than 80% of unrepresented litigant respondents were able to access online civil court proceedings remotely.
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Web Exclusive: Meet the judges: Montgomery Superior Judge Daniel Petrie
Montgomery Superior Judge Daniel Petrie is the most recent trial court judge to be featured in Indiana Lawyer’s Spotlight series, which focuses on judicial officers in more rural areas of the state.
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Overextended: Indiana trial courts strain under justice gaps, lack of legal resources
Getting legal resources to low-income litigants is a major struggle both nationally and on Hoosier soil. According to the Legal Services Corporation 2022 Justice Gap Report, low-income Americans do not get any or enough legal help for 92% of their substantial civil legal problems.
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Indy woman tries to aid incarcerated son filing pro se lawsuits against prison guards
A pair of complaints filed in 2021 by Pendleton Correctional Facility inmate Danny Johnson is showing the lawsuits can add to the frustration and sadness felt by the families who have relatives behind bars.
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Articles
Denial of motion to replace counsel on morning of sentencing was not error, COA affirms
A man’s displeasure with his appointed counsel in a manslaughter case did not require a trial court to replace the public defender the morning of a sentencing hearing, the Court of Appeals of Indiana affirmed Wednesday.
Firearm conviction, criminal contempt upheld for defendant who proceeded pro se
A defendant who unsuccessfully defended himself in federal court and who was found in criminal contempt for refusing to answer a prosecutor’s question did not find any relief from his firearm conviction or the contempt finding at the 7th Circuit.
Costs often vary for divorce cases: Some file pro se, others seek legal aid or private attorneys
There’s an emotional cost that comes with a divorce, but the process also involves dollars and cents.
Man whose witness list included President Biden forfeited right to self-representation, COA affirms
A trial court did not err when it found a man charged with stalking and invasion of privacy forfeited his right to self-representation, the Court of Appeals of Indiana affirmed in an interlocutory appeal.
Helping the self-represented: Growing number of counties offering self-help centers for pro se litigants
A growing number of Indiana counties are finding ways to connect pro se litigants with legal assistance.
Pro se litigant loses appeal of convictions for pointing gun at police
A man convicted after pointing a gun at police failed to convince the Court of Appeals of Indiana that he should not have been allowed to proceed pro se. While the COA agreed that an attempted murder charge was improper, it did not find fundamental error.
Lake Circuit Court opens self-help center for pro se litigants
The Lake Circuit Court has launched a new self-help center for litigants who are representing themselves but need some guidance.
Nonlawyers part of access to justice solution for pro se litigants
Having watched people become intimidated and fearful as they try to represent themselves in court while struggling to understand legal system, Leigh Carpenter jumped at the chance to join what she sees as providing much-needed help.
Allied legal professionals slowly gaining foothold in legal community: Advocates say limited license nonlawyers beneficial to middle class
Utah is one of just four states that allow nonlawyers to obtain limited licenses to provide legal advice and counsel.
Suspect in killing of Richmond police officer seeks to represent himself
A man facing a death penalty charge in the fatal shooting of an Indiana police officer has asked a judge to represent himself, and his appointed attorney wants to withdraw from the case.
Legal help kiosks being deployed across state to aid households facing eviction, foreclosure
At the Lawrence Township trustee’s office Tuesday afternoon, court officials and community leaders unveiled the first of 120 civil legal help kiosks that will be deployed to individuals trying to navigate the legal system themselves.
CLE panel to discuss federal criminal defense of indigent litigants
The Historical Society of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana’s is hosting a CLE event this week focused on federal criminal defense of indigent litigants.
Split ABA ethics committee issues guidance on self-represented attorneys
A divided American Bar Association Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility released a formal opinion Wednesday seeking to clarify the interpretation of a model rule about self-represented lawyers’ communications with represented parties in a case.
Pew study finds benefits, problems with virtual courts
Virtual hearings have been touted as providing easier access to the courts for low-income and self-represented litigants. But in a recent study, The Pew Charitable Trusts concluded the online judicial system is still designed for lawyers, and those parties without attorneys continue to be at a disadvantage.
Through pro se eyes: IU Maurer-led study looks at impact of virtual hearings on self-represented litigants
Indiana University Maurer School of Law professor is leading a study that takes a closer look at how the technology that made virtual hearings possible is helping — and hindering — pro se parties.
Pro se civil rights filings continue to climb
Nearly 20 years’ worth of data tracking trends of federal civil pro se filings show that civil rights cases make up the second-highest percentage of filings, next to pro se prisoner cases. In recent years, a growing number of those cases have targeted law enforcement or other government actors.
Training offered for attorney volunteers in Indiana Southern District Court
Indiana attorneys interested in joining the pool of volunteers at the Southern Indiana District Court are invited to attend a one-hour training session in October to learn more about representing indigent litigants as part of the court’s recruited counsel program.
Innovation Initiative’s Family Law Taskforce submits recommendations to Supreme Court
With an ultimate goal of improving access to justice in family law cases, the Family Law Taskforce of the Indiana Supreme Court’s Innovation Initiative nailed down more than a dozen recommendations, with five being considered “essential for reform.” Now, that final report is headed to the Indiana justices.
Split Supreme Court upholds denial of LWOP defendant’s pro se request
A Boone County murder defendant convicted and sentenced to life without parole failed to convince a majority of the Indiana Supreme Court that the trial court improperly denied his request to proceed pro se. The majority provided an analysis for considering pro se requests in capital and LWOP sentences, but minority justices raised concerns about the majority “till(ing) new constitutional soil.”