Navigating the county court system may be difficult without an attorney, but a new program from Alachua County aims to change that.
The online program TurboCourt, which has been in the works for months, is now available on the county clerk’s website. This system will provide guidance to pro se litigants, or people who represent themselves in court, said Alachua County Clerk of Court J. K. "Jess" Irby.
“Any individual who has a need for the court and finds themselves in a situation where they cannot afford, or choose to not have an attorney, this could help them in their effort to get access to justice,” Irby said.
TurboCourt, which works a lot like TurboTax, can be used by pro se litigants in civil cases including divorce, domestic violence, small claims and eviction cases, Irby said.
It’s as simple as selecting a case type then being guided through a series of questions, Irby said. From there, it will create a court filing, which can be turned in at the clerk office or filed electronically.
For Jennifer M. Titus, an attorney with Peaceful Paths Domestic Abuse Network, TurboCourt is one way citizens can access the court system, but not the only way.
“We have a Peaceful Paths advocate in the courthouse at the clerk’s office (to) help with completion also,” Titus said. “It’s just another means to access the court system, there’s no right or wrong way to do it.”
The program, which was made in contract with a third party vendor, will cost the county $7,500 a year to use, Irby said. User fees range from $25 to $50, except when filing for domestic violence cases, which are free.
“Having an attorney is hard to beat but for many folks it’s just unattainable, so we’re doing our best trying to help people out here,” Irby said. “I hope it just opens up those doors to justice that previously people found unattainable.”
