Tech Tuesday: Technology Fosters Independence

Technology fosters independence, providing resources for vulnerable populations -- the elderly, the disabled, and the indigent -- to engage with the world in new and meaningful ways

On this Tech Tuesday, as we approach the 4th of July holiday, we at the Harris County Law Library are reflecting on how technology empowers us to be more independent. For the elderly, advances in technology offer opportunities for greater autonomy. For those with disabilities, accessible design provides freedoms that previous generations could only imagine.  And in the law, information technology (with the aid of public law libraries) has opened new avenues for self-represented litigants to access justice and the legal system.

Smart Tech for the Elderly

As we age, maintaining our independence and autonomy is important to us all. Thanks to "smart home" technologies, telemedicine, wearable sensors, and digital assistants, such as Alexa, Cortana, and Siri, many older people who rely on caretakers to assist them in the tasks of daily living now have tech alternatives for "monitored independence." For those with cognitive or mobility impairments, the future looks bright as well. For an excellent resource on this subject, consult Technology Tips for Seniors, a publication of the American Bar Association. Volume II will be published in August.

Accessible Design for the Disabled

To ensure online accessibility for all, web designers need to present information in ways that account for differences in how people interact with online resources. Accessible design of online content allows those with visual impairments, for example, to navigate the Internet more easily. Therefore, web design standards that specify requirements for accessible design are an important part of digital content development, and mobile apps should meet the same standards. Increasingly, developers are creating apps to facilitate greater navigability of the physical world, especially for those who travel on wheels.

Innovative tech designers are using the crowd-sourcing capabilities of mobile device tracking and user feedback to create apps for civic improvement, including apps that help mitigate barriers for people with disabilities.  Google Maps, for example, now offers route suggestions (in a limited but growing number of cities) for the best path of wheelchair travel on city streets, and other apps help those with low vision. 

Information Technology for Self-Represented Litigants

The justice system can be difficult to navigate. For those who represent themselves, resources for learning about and engaging with the legal system are invaluable. That's why websites such as TexasLawHelp.org are a lifeline to people in need of legal assistance but who are unable to afford legal representation. However, as we've noted previously, many people with modest means still face major barriers to accessing the Internet. Fortunately, public law libraries help remove some of those barriers by providing computers with Internet access, educational programs to inform people about the legal system, and legal assistance from volunteer lawyers or lawyer-librarians. We at the Harris County Law Library strive every day to provide assistance for those unfamiliar with the law and inspire the independence to act confidently on one's own behalf. 

The common goal of all these solutions is to ease access and navigability -- of daily living, of the digital and physical world, and of the legal system. Tech design modifications for easier access to information and ideas are critical as information is key to independence in all areas of life. Improving the user experience for all people should be a shared goal of the tech community. Seniors, people with disabilities, and pro se litigants must not be left out of the design equation. 

Gender Marker and Name Change Resources for Transgender Individuals in Texas

For the transgender community, updating one's identification and other legal documents is an important and necessary step to achieving a complete transition. Finding the right resources to help transgender individuals navigate the Texas court system can be a challenge. Fortunately, the Houston Volunteer Lawyers are ready to assist. HVL offers regular legal clinics to guide individuals through the legal transition process, providing assistance in drafting the forms required for a gender marker and/or name change. Simply visit the HVL website for details about the application and pre-screening process. Submit your completed Gender Marker Questionnaire to an HVL staff attorney who will review all applicants for suitability prior to making an appointment for the next gender marker clinic. 

Travis County Law Library in Austin also provides resources for those in need of assistance in drafting documents for a gender marker and/or name change. Visit the Travis County Law Library website for detailed information and forms. These forms are drafted specifically for use in the Travis County courts.

The University of Texas Law School also offers help via its student-run initiative, the Trans Name and Gender Marker Project, whose stated mission is "to provide low-income trans applicants with free, high-quality services in preparing petitions for legal name and gender marker changes." Like the Houston Volunteer Lawyers, the Trans Name and Gender Marker Project at the University of Texas Law School requires all interested applicants to complete a short intake form, but once accepted, transgender individuals will get the help they need to both draft a petition for the requested changes as well as guidance in how to proceed with changing identification and other legal documents once a court order is granted. 

For additional information about the legal rights and challenges of transgender individuals, consult the book, Transgender Persons and the Law, which is available in our print collection at the Harris County Law Library. And don't forget to ask for assistance from our reference staff who are always available to help answer questions and direct library patrons to further resources

On a final note, sometimes the best information and support come from within one's own community. The Texas Name and Gender Marker Change Facebook group is a good place to look for answers to commonly asked questions from others who have completed the legal transition process. 

Kincare Forms for Voluntary Non-Parent Caregivers

As summer approaches, requests for information about the supervision of a child by a non-parent caregiver are on the rise. Fortunately, TexasLawHelp.org and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services have the forms and information that grandparents, aunts, uncles, older siblings, and other blood relatives may use to establish their rights as caregivers. These rights, which are put into place as part of the Kincare program*, allow a voluntary non-parent caregiver to enroll a child in school or daycare, make decisions regarding his or her medical well-being, sign school permission slips, and take other steps to ensure the child's welfare and safety.

To learn more about the Kincare program, TexasLawHelp.org is the perfect place to start. Download a copy of the Texas Kincare Primer to find answers to commonly asked questions about the authorization agreement for non-parent or voluntary caregivers.  Also available on TexasLawHelp.org is a form for consent to medical treatment by a non-parent or voluntary caregiver. Take a look at both forms to determine which will best meet your needs and the needs of the child in your care.

As always, if you have any questions about the Kincare program, we recommend that you consult an attorney. The Harris County Law Library partners with the Houston Volunteer Lawyers, who provide free legal assistance for this or any civil legal concern five days a week in the basement at 1019 Congress. Volunteer lawyers are available Monday through Friday from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm on a first-come, first-served basis.

*Please note that the Kincare program is different from the Kinship Care program, which is designed for children in CPS care. For information about the Kinship Care program, please visit the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services website. 

Digital Divides and Justice Gaps

A recent study by the Pew Research Center suggests that 11% of Americans don't use the internet. 11%! For those of us who spend our days talking about ways to more effectively use digital resources, 11% is a staggering statistic. At the Harris County Law Library, we're on the internet every day. Pulling a case in Westlaw or Lexis requires connectivity. Assisting self-represented litigants (SRLs) access TexasLawHelp.org for forms and information does too. Access to many forms of legal information is either bolstered by internet access or, in some instances, totally dependent on it.

Legal aid organizations across the country are also on the internet every day leveraging technology to close justice gaps. In Texas, we have a variety of success stories. TexasLawHelp.org counts thousands of page hits each month and offers chat services to SRLs across the state. Houston Volunteer Lawyers and Lone Star Legal Aid share information and leverage automated intake forms on their websites. The Houston Bar Association and Texas State Law Library distribute legal information to SRLs on the most needed topics, including family and consumer law.

Can you see where this is going? What happens when our efforts to offer legal aid and share legal information are focused on a medium that the intended recipients either cannot or do not access? Diving further into the Pew report, we see the problem is exacerbated. The digital divide is concentrated in vulnerable populations that legal aid services are intended to help. Specifically,

• 35% of Seniors (65+),
• 19% of those earning less than $30k per year, and
• 35% of individuals without a high school education

do not use the internet. Building on these base statistics, if 19% of those living in poverty do not use the internet at all, how many of the remaining 81% have had the opportunity to develop the skill set to use it well?

Ok, enough doom and gloom. What do we do? Answer: remember that public law libraries are partners in access to justice. If the issue is lack of access to equipment, libraries offer public access computers. If it's digital literacy, we offer reference assistance and free learning opportunities. If information literacy is the issue, we help patrons every day wade through nonsense Google results to find authoritative resources like TexasLawHelp.org. And all of these resources are available for free to all at locations across the country.

For more information on the role of public law libraries in access to justice, take a look at the following resources:

• Report: Law Libraries and Access to Justice. A Special Report of the American Association of Law Libraries Access to Justice Special Committee (AALL 2014)
• Partnering with Libraries, Center on Court Access to Justice for All
• Report of the Texas Commission to Expand Texas Legal Services (Dec. 6, 2016)

Tax Law Resource Month

April is Tax Law Resource Month at the Harris County Law Library. All month long, you will find materials on federal and Texas taxes on display in the Law Library and on our website.

Self-Help Resource: Nolo's Stand Up to the IRS

Written by tax attorney Frederick W. Daily, Nolo’s Stand Up to the IRS is an excellent resource to answer your questions about the IRS, tax returns, audits, federal tax liens, taxpayer advocates, fraud and tax crimes, and penalties and interest.

Houston Volunteer Lawyers Neighborhood Tax Center Tax Clinics

NTC tax clinics are held every third Thursday of each month at Baker Ripley Neighorhood Tax Center for persons seeking assistance with IRS issues.  Walk-In legal advice clinic.  The first 6 people will be seen 

At a legal advice clinic, applicants meet with a licensed Texas attorney one-on-one and receive free advice on their legal issue. Individuals needing continued representation beyond the legal advice clinic generally must be residents of Harris County and have a household income of no greater than 250% of Federal Poverty Guidelines. 

Houston Volunteer Lawyers Low Income Taxpayer Clinic

LITC clinics are held once a week at the Houston Volunteer Lawyer's office. They are by appointment only. Please call 713-225-1TAX to schedule an appointment. 

At the appointment, applicants will meet with a HVL staff attorney one-on-one and receive free advice on their IRS tax issue. Individuals needing continued representation beyond the legal advice clinic generally must be residents of Harris County and have a household income of no greater than 250% of Federal Poverty Guidelines.

Free Tax Return Preparation for Qualifying Taxpayers

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free tax help to people who generally make $54,000 or less, persons with disabilities and limited English speaking taxpayers who need assistance in preparing their own tax returns. IRS-certified volunteers provide free basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing to qualified individuals.

In addition to VITA, the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program offers free tax help for all taxpayers, particularly those who are 60 years of age and older, specializing in questions about pensions and retirement-related issues unique to seniors. The IRS-certified volunteers who provide tax counseling are often retired individuals associated with non-profit organizations that receive grants from the IRS.