Self-Help Information & Resources

“Pro se litigant” means someone who is a party in a court case without an attorney. Below are some resources to help pro se litigants navigate the court system.

Texas Resources

• TexasLawHelp.org - Free legal information and sample forms for a variety of legal issues, including divorce, child custody & support, occupational driver licenses, name change, and more.

• Texas Court Help - The Texas Office of Court Administration has compiled many resources of interest and assistance to pro se litigants. Available in English & Spanish.

• Texas Justice Court Training Center: Self-Represented Litigants - Although the materials do not contain legal advice, they are helpful for small claims, debt claims, or eviction cases.

• Texas Young Lawyers Association - Pamphlets, videos, and other materials for the general public, including information on guardianship, divorce, probate, CPS, elder care, and much more.

Legal Terms

• United States Court Glossary of Legal Terms

• American Bar Association Glossary

• Wex (Legal Information Institute)

• Glossary of Family Law Terms

Court Basics & E-filing in Texas

• Appearing in Court (Texas Court Help)

• Court How-Tos (TexasLawHelp.org)

• Going to Court (TexasLawHelp.org)

• Other Court Basics (TexasLawHelp.org)

• eFile Texas Self-Help - A free online service that allows you to fill out forms to send to Texas courts.

Research Tips

• Legal Research: Steps to Follow (TexasLawHelp.org)

• How to Research a Legal Problem: A Guide for Non-Lawyers (American Association of Law Libraries)

Other Law Libraries

• Fifth Circuit Houston Satellite Library - Open to the public, the Fifth Circuit Library System's Houston Satellite Library is a valuable resource for researching federal legal issues.

• Texas State Law Library - Texas residents can Get a Library Account for free to access many legal materials online.