Our lawyers give you information, explain your options, and guide you through your case so you are prepared and able to handle it on your own.

We help you figure out how to open or respond to a case, how to complete court documents, how to move the process along, and how to present your case in court. We support you along the way, but you retain control over your case.

If you and the other side are interested in working out an agreement, we can help you do that too.

Not necessarily. Lawyers are trained in the law and procedure, and can be very helpful, but you may be able to handle your case without a lawyer.

Or you may want to hire a lawyer only for parts of your case. This is called “limited scope representation” and it can be a good way to have a lawyer for the really complicated things, while you handle the rest and save money.

There is a lot of information online that you can use to educate yourself about the type of case you have and try to handle it without a lawyer. If you are in California, the California Courts Online Self-Help Center has a lot of information to help you.

If you are in another state, search for online self-help information from your court, or get in touch with a legal aid agency to see what resources you can use. Find your legal aid organization at www.lawhelp.org.

No. The type of access strategies Law Within Reach works with have to do with language access for speakers of languages other than English, as well as more generally, access to the courts for people who do not have a lawyer, cannot afford a lawyer, or are scared, confused or intimidated by a complicated court system.

Disability access is a critical part of accessing the court system, but there are lawyers and other providers who specialize in that type of access. To find someone who can guide you to find an expert in disability access, go to www.lawhelp.org, click on your state, and then search for “disability” to find out legal agencies in your area that can help you.

Many states have online rosters or directories of interpreters qualified to interpret under the laws of that state.

In California, you can find a licensed interpreter at http://www.courts.ca.gov/3796.htm.

You may be able to find interpreters and translators nationally by searching:

• NAJIT (National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators)
• ATA (American Translators Association)

An interpreter works with oral communications. For example, if you are speaking in court, you would have an interpreter interpreting your words from your primary language into English, and vice versa.

A translator works with written communication. For example, if you need a document written in another language turned into English, you would use a translator to translate the letter.

In common usage, people use the terms interchangeably. But in the legal system, it is important to be clear to avoid confusion.