Family Court System

Legal Aid Lawyers Dept: Mr. Quader is the face of a growing problem for Canada s family court system. A rising flood of litigants who do not qualify for legal aid lawyers, yet cannot afford one on their own, is costing the system heavily at a time when it is already creaking under the weight of swollen dockets and antiquated information systems, according to Globe and Mail. And in an age of easy access to information on the Web and the popularity of shows like CSI and Law and Order , many litigants mostly men are choosing to go it alone, convinced they possess strong courtroom skills. I don t have any legal background, so I don t know what to say in court, he said in an interview. I have to prepare legal documents by myself. I feel totally helpless. The first major study on self-representation that compares the views of family judges, lawyers and litigants has found that 50 to 80 per cent of proceedings now involve one or both parties representing themselves raising the level of courtroom conflict, lengthening proceedings and hurting the chances of reaching pre-trial settlements. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.