When residents find themselves in a civil dispute — think a debt issue or a divorce — most are not represented by an attorney. They go it alone or they don’t know how to get into the courtroom to begin with.
The Utah Supreme Court recently signed off on an experiment that hopes to level the playing field for people who can’t afford a lawyer or are confused by the complicated civil system. It would allow nonlawyers and tech entrepreneurs to bring innovations to a legal profession often mired in detailed rules.
This stems from a report created by a joint Supreme Court and Utah Bar Association working group, which highlights recent data that shows that in 93% of all civil cases filed in Utah’s 3rd District Courts — which cover Salt Lake and Summit counties — at least one party went without an attorney.