Criminal defendants get lawyers, civil ones don't

The Supreme Court guarantees attorneys in criminal cases, but no such right exists for civil disputes like landlord-tenant conflicts or employment cases that affect housing, healthcare, and education.

America's civil justice system is failing

The U.S. ranks 112th of 143 countries on access to civil legal services, down 40 spots in a decade. Low-income Americans get insufficient help for 92% of their civil legal problems.

“Low-income Americans receive insufficient or no legal help for 92% of their civil legal problems.”

Legal aid organizations can't keep up

Nonprofit legal aid groups turn away 49% of eligible low-income people due to lack of resources. Many others earn too much to qualify but still can't afford lawyers.

Two types of AI legal tools exist

Multipurpose platforms like ChatGPT provide broad legal information. Specialized tools like Legal Aid of North Carolina's AI focus on specific areas like custody or consumer law and are more accurate.

AI is helping self-represented litigants

ChatGPT and similar tools have enabled more people without lawyers to file cases. Judges acknowledge the increase in self-represented litigants correlates with AI availability.

Courts are overwhelmed by AI-generated filings

Judges complain about self-represented litigants dumping hundreds of pages of documents. Multipurpose AI tools create improper filings that clog the system.

“hundreds of pages of documents”

AI advice could harm vulnerable people

Without human interaction, AI might give incomplete or wrong legal advice to those most in need. Unauthorized practice of law rules also limit how AI tools can operate.

The choice is between imperfect AI or nothing

Only 8% of Americans' civil legal needs are currently met. AI tools aren't perfect, but without them, millions will continue going without any legal help.