Oregon: Trained, Licensed Paralegals May Provide Limited Legal Services in Family Law

From OPB News:

The Oregon Supreme Court is considering a proposal that would allow trained, licensed paralegals to provide limited legal services in family law and landlord/tenant cases. The proposal has been compared to the distinction between nurse practitioners and doctors.

The following is the summery of conversation between the chair of the Paraprofessional Licensing Implementation Committee for the Oregon State Bar and senior circuit judge in Oregon. The reason behind the proposal is that less people are able to get legal assistance in civil matters in the states courts in Oregon. This issue is more significant in family law and landlord tenant law. For example, the issue of custody or child support. As a result, more litigants proceed through court proceedings without ever having access to a lawyer.

Another concern is that while indigent party will be represented by an attorney appointed by the court, there is no such arrangement in civil proceedings. There are not enough attorneys in many places in the state.

Read more here.