By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – People who need legal help for getting a divorce or avoid eviction but can’t afford an attorney could soon have easier ways to get free legal help in McLean County.
Illinois Legal Aid Online is launching a study of the McLean County court system, specifically how civil litigants access the court system.
“In civil cases, they don’t have (court-appointed representation), so they largely depend on non-profit organizations to provide those services to them,” said Stacey Tutt, director of the Community Preservation Clinic at the University of Illinois College of Law
Tutt said Illinois Legal Aid Online and its mobile app can answer questions and offer legal forms for matters including divorce, custody, small claims, eviction and unemployment.
The study is intended to make those services better because she says the agencies that provide free legal representation can’t take everyone’s case.
“It will help us better understand in what area of civil legal needs are people able to effectively represent themselves that helps to guide legal service organizations as to how to set their priories as to what cases they can take,” Tutt said.
Tutt said the group is seeking volunteers to help with the survey by interviewing clients who have accessed their services. A training session will be scheduled for Bloomington-Normal in the coming weeks.
McLean County also offers a legal self-help center at the Law and Justice Center in Bloomington.
Eric Stock can be reached at eric.stock@cumulus.com.