Legal Document Preparers: An Alternative to Attorneys?

For many legal matters, especially very complex ones such as criminal cases or difficult lawsuit settlements, a good lawyer is critical. However, people who do not need the advice of an attorney but still want professional, personalized assistance preparing court documents can save money with a licensed legal document preparer. Legal document preparers are trained and approved in several states (Arizona, Florida, Washington, and California, for example) and certified by their respective state supreme courts. An experienced document preparer may write pleadings and motions, prepare most legal documents to court standards, and much more. They may guide clients who cannot afford an attorney--or simply don't want one--through the complete legal process, although they cannot give specific legal advice. Unlike an attorney, by law a legal document preparer may not strategize with a client in regard to their specific case and/or represent their client in a courtroom. But if one is able to represent oneself in court (known in legal language as being "Pro Se") they may literally save thousands of dollars with the full range of services a licensed legal document preparer can provide. In the area of Family Law, for example, a document preparer may write papers for divorce, bankruptcy, child support and child custody issues, court orders, civil litigation, paternity, grandparent rights and other matters. In Business Law they can help you form a corporation or L.L.C., register trademarks and copyrights, and more. Those involved in Civil Law cases can have documents prepared for garnishment, forcible detainers, small claims suits, justice court suits, and legal name changes. After the documents are prepared to the meet the client's needs, as well as meet the standards of the court with jurisdiction, a full service document preparation company can file, record, deliver or serve them, usually for a very reasonable price and minimal court required fees. This kind of service--especially during tough economic times--can give peace of mind when dealing with the sometimes overwhelming complexities of the court system, but without an exorbitant bill when the case is resolved. Many document preparers also provide notary services and Spanish translation. Additionally, the best companies provide paralegal support for attorneys and law firms, giving them a wealth of experience and professional contacts in the legal system, including the ability to refer a client to a skilled attorney should their case require legal advice.