People who need to represent themselves in court in Missouri and Illinois now have an additional place to get information about the process.
The 18-page document developed by the Law Library Association of St. Louis includes information on basic court procedures and decorum, plus detailed information about organizations that might be able to provide a lawyer for noncriminal matters.
“Every week, we get people who call, email or show up. And often they have very pressing legal issues, and they're lost,” said Gail Wechsler, library director for the Law Library Association of St. Louis. “They just need some basic information. And so that's why this guide was put together.”
The association is distributing guides to local public libraries. Copies are also available at the law library, which is located on the 13th floor of the Civil Courts building and is open to the public. People can also access the guide online.
The charitable arm of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis provided a $3,500 grant to fund the research and printing of the guide, plus the purchase of new books on some of the most common pro se case topics.
Bar Association President-elect Kevin Gunn said providing people with basic information can help them focus on the details of their case.
“These guides really are a cornerstone to justice and equity,” he said. “It allows someone who’s representing themselves to feel more confident when they’re walking into a case, to be able to assert their rights, and be able to have an idea about how the procedure works so that they take away some of that disadvantage that they normally have.”
State data show that one or both parties represented themselves in more than 4,100 cases filed in St. Louis and St. Louis County in 2023. Most were landlord-tenant or small claims cases.
