In any Court proceeding any person may represent himself or herself unless the Court specifically requires you to have an attorney.  It is recommended that you seek the help of an attorney.  While every effort is made to accommodate pro se litigants (those representing themselves) the law is complex and the Court cannot give you advice concerning legal matters, merely rule on matters that have been properly brought before the Court.  Many legal actions have consequences that are not immediately obvious, and what may appear to be simple today may impact you far in the future.

The Court discourages pro se litigation in family matters in all but the most basic situations.  If there are children involved, you should seek legal counsel.  The Attorney General of the State of Texas maintains programs for the establishment of parentage and support of children.  If you are seeking a divorce involving children, you are encouraged to seek the services of the Attorney General.

If you are representing yourself, you will be required to file statutorily sufficient pleadings and to provide to the Court written orders for the Court that are consistent with the rulings of the Court.  Suggested forms are not provided by the Court but many resources are available including the public library and Texas Law Help (texaslawhelp.org).  Texas Law Help is a project of the Texas Access to Justice Commission and the Texas Equal Access to Justice Foundation, in partnership with participating legal aid organizations.