Masses of legal documents -- wills, contracts, leases, trusts -- to lawyers this isn't paperwork, it...

1. Legal Advice From Your Computer?
Masses of legal documents -- wills, contracts, leases, trusts -- to lawyers this isn't paperwork, it's
bread and butter. But this steady diet is now being nibbled at by self-help computer programs.
Hold on to your mouse! Lawyers in Texas say this software supports the practice of law without a
license.
Attorney Mark Ticer said, "In our mind there is no doubt that this is not an informational source
product, this is the practice of law."
Dallas attorney Mark Ticer heads a committee that is seeking to ban the sale of Quicken Family
Lawyer in Texas, a program that features advice from legal expert, Arthur Miller.
"Mr. Miller of course is a respected Harvard law professor but he too is not licensed to practice law
in the state of Texas," said Ticer.
The Texas lawyers are also investigating Nolo Press which produces do-it-yourself software for wills
and living trusts.
"We sell this for about $45, a Texas lawyer would sell a living trust for a couple for about $800
each," said Jake Warner of Nolo Press.
"They are really saying lawyers own the law. Nobody is allowed to trample our turf. If you want law
in Texas go buy it from a Texas lawyer," said Warner.
"That is not our job to protect the lawyers turf. Our job is to
http://wnge.fielding.edu/profile/LeighGathers protect the public. It's legal advice clothed in
simplicity which we believe http://www.law.umich.edu/ is dangerous," said Ticer.
But even if Texas bans the sale of software, the public now has direct access on the Internet. Instead
of going downtown consumers can now go online for everything from legal advice to medical
prescriptions.
For good or bad the Internet is providing a low cost alternative to the traditional office visit.
Reported by John Blackstone
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