Advocates work to give families an affordable legal option in Colorado

Courts in Colorado are being overwhelmed by the number of family law cases like divorce and custody battles, with some judges having hundreds of open cases. The majority of those going in front of those judges do not have a lawyer.

Esther Perrigaud was concerned she would be among those navigating a divorce on her own. For her, hiring an attorney wasn't an option.

"I would have to file bankruptcy really or have my debt just piling up," she said.

She was fortunate to find Amy Goscha, an attorney who agreed to take on her case for free, but most end up going to court without representation.

"Essentially like one out of four didn't have an attorney," Goscha said.

The issue is one that Goscha and several other legal experts are now trying to address.

With the initial go-ahead from the Colorado Supreme Court, they are working to establish a licensed legal paraprofessional or a more affordable alternative to a lawyer in family law for those who qualify by having a net asset total under $200,000. 

"An attorney bills at a certain hourly rate and that just caps out certain people from even getting some help."

Maha Kamal, founder of the Colorado Family Law Project, is among those working to launch the program, including setting up the requirements to obtain the license.

"There's a bar exam, an ethics exam... it's very similar to what it's like to go to law school," Kamal said.

The cost is one benefit, but the change could also help ease a backlog of cases many counties already have.

"For an LLP to be there and to help somebody understand what we need to focus on in the case versus all the other things that might come up that are emotional but not relevant, that is going to significantly help judicial officers get their cases moving," she said.

Perrigaud just wishes it was an option for her, "Just having someone on your side."

The Colorado Supreme Court would like to hear from the public about how an LLP program would benefit families.

You can share your stories online using the link: https://coloradosupremecourt.com/AboutUs/PALS.asp