Texas Supreme Court Expands Legal Access for Low-Income Clients

Paralegals licensed in family law, estate-planning and probate law, and consumer-debt law will be allowed to provide limited legal services to low-income Texans under new amendments proposed by the Texas Supreme Court.

The rule changes are intended to relieve the resource and staffing constraints that prevent many people who qualify for assistance from legal aid and volunteer attorney organizations from actually receiving the civil legal help they need, according to an order the court issued Tuesday.

• The changes also will allow licensed paralegals and court-access assistants sponsored by approved legal assistance organizations to represent low-income clients in justice-of-the-peace courts, which ...