Yet more useful info from the Texas forms process.

Here is the summary of national data on SRL distribution gathered by the Texas Access to Justice Commission:

Nationwide

• 2009 survey by Self-Represented Litigation Network
  • 60% judges reported increase in pro se litigants in their courtrooms
  • Only 29% reported no impact, and many were criminal court judges

• Data on Unrepresented Litigants from Documenting the Justice Gap in America, an Updated Report of the Legal Service Corporation, September 2009

• Judicial Impact:
  • References the 2009 Self-Represented Litigation Network study mentioned above.
• Unrepresented by Necessity
  • 2005 study of pro se litigants in New York City Family and Housing Courts found that 57% had incomes under $20,000 and 80% had incomes under $30,000 per year.
  • 2003 California Report to the Legislature found that more than 90% of the 450,000 people who use court self-help programs in the state earn less than $24,000 per year.
    

• Maryland
  • Has very detailed data capturing information on SRLs who appear at any point in the case.  They are able to capture very accurate data because reporting is tied to court funding.
  • 70% of cases involve at least one SRL at some point in the case.
  • Number of SRLs has remained steady over time.

•  Oregon
  • Estimate 65% pro se in total family law.  Based on a sample study data and extrapolated.

Texas

Data obtained from the Office of Court Administration, except poverty statistics and unless otherwise noted.  Poverty statistics were obtained from Data from U.S. Census Bureau Small Area Income & Poverty Estimates (SAIPE).  Data does not include pro se respondent filings, Title IV-D cases in which the parties are not represented, or post-judgment filings.

Total Cases Filed September 1, 2010 – August 31, 2011

• 57,597 family law cases in which petitioner filed pro se, representing 21.6% of total family law case filings
• 16,862 for other civil and probate cases in which petitioner filed pro se