Extra! Extra! The Great Library has a new Research Guide for Self-Represented Litigants

Three years ago, the reference librarians here at the Great Library published a master list of organizations offering free or subsidized legal information and services in Toronto and around Ontario. Dubbed the Self-Represented Litigants Resource, it was designed to guide individuals encountering legal difficulties to affordable assistance, and to empower them to make informed decisions about their case. Since then, the resource has helped innumerable people do just that, and today we have the pleasure of announcing the new & improved online version of this tool: Resources for Self-Represented Litigants.

The research guide (known to library professionals as a ‘libguide’) includes sections on general as well as family and housing law matters. Each of these broader subjects is further divided into Self-Help and Legal Services and Assistance subcategories. In Self-Help, self-represented litigants (SRLs) will find pathways to legal information they can access themselves, while the Legal Services and Assistance pages link SRLs to volunteers and professionals who may be able to assist. 

The updated format will significantly simplify navigation between sections of the guide, making it easier to find helpful resources in an often stressful and confusing time in someone’s life. The guide is also searchable, further facilitating the connection of people with knowledge and support.

Notable resources within the guide include: 

• In the General – Self-Help category, the Canadian Judicial Council Handbooks make it simple for self-represented litigants to access information for each province and territory in both official languages on how to prepare for a hearing, the applicable rules and law, and where to find free or lower cost legal help in the areas of civil, criminal, and family law. 

• In the Family – Legal Services and Assistance section, Family Law Coach connects the public with experienced lawyers that provide legal coaching and assistance by way of unbundled services and limited scope retainers that allow clients to choose what they pay. 

• In Housing – Self-Help, Law Depot (via the Toronto Public Library) gives access to over one hundred do-it-yourself legal forms relating to real estate and landlord & tenant law, including residential lease agreements, commercial lease agreements, sublease agreements, and more.

Take a look for yourself, and tell your friends! We want this compendium of links to reach as many public-facing information professionals and self-represented litigants as possible. The more publicity these resources get, the more access to justice for all.