WI Librarians Trained To Help Lawyerless Litigants Find Legal Resources
Jennifer Pinkowski -- Library Journal, 10/9/2007
With more than half of the litigants in Wisconsin family court representing themselves, the Wisconsin Court System is holding workshops to acquaint public librarians with the latest law resources available for lawyerless litigants. On September 27, the court system and the Wisconsin Valley Library Service co-sponsored a workshop in [corrected] Neillsville, WI, on pro se (“for one’s self”) representation for library staff from 15 to 20 libraries within the 9th judicial district, in the north-central region of the state. Local and state court officials, lawyers, and the state law librarian made presentations on the range of resources now available, including how to research statutes and laws, find information in court offices and at the state law library web site, or download and fill out forms, many of which were developed specifically for self-representing litigants.The idea is to show librarians how to “provide legal information versus legal advice,” according to state pro se coordinator Ann Zimmerman. “Libraries are historically responsive to the public, and we wanted to let libraries know what resources are available. That’s phase one. Phase two is a one-on-one follow-up visit with each of the county libraries that have expressed interested in a follow-up, and all have been interested so far.” It is the second such workshop held by the Wisconsin Court System this year; the first took place in April for libraries in the 10th judicial district. The hope is to eventually have a library workshop in all ten judicial districts, Zimmerman said.
Wisconsin state law librarian Jane Colwin said the response from the 20 or so attendees at the Wisconsin Valley session was “fabulous.” Colwin made two presentations, the first detailing the state law library’s resources, particularly its heavily trafficked Legal Topics, and the second giving a more in-depth look at how to conduct legal research. Though Colwin and state law library staff have given the lesson at many public libraries across the state over the past 15 years, it was the first time one was held at the Wisconsin Valley Library System. The pro se focus was also new.
Nationwide, there is a trend towards self-representation, particularly in family court and small claims court. As a result, many states have “self-help” centers, some of which have offices in libraries, as is the case in Minnesota’s Dakota County, as Colwin noted. But Wisconsin’s library training may be a unique spin. In Wisconsin, pro se litigants constitute at least 50 and as many as 80 percent of those in family court, according to estimates going back as far as 2000. They are often going through divorce or separation proceedings or wrangling with exes over child support. “It was a real eye opener to realize there are that many people representing themselves,” said workshop attendee Beth Sillars, reference librarian at Wisconsin Valley Library Service. “Librarians need to know about these resources to direct people to them.”
