White Paper: The Silent Crisis: How U.S. Courts Fail Millions Without Legal Representation

White Paper: The Silent Crisis — How U.S. Courts Fail Millions Without Legal Representation

By La’Tonya Nicole Ford, President, Pro Se Powerhouse

A National Justice Emergency—Ignored for Too Long.

Every year, millions of Americans are forced to navigate the legal system without a lawyer. From eviction to child custody to criminal charges, these self-represented litigants (SRLs) stand alone in a courtroom built for professionals, not the public. The result? A silent crisis—one that undermines due process, denies equal justice, and leaves the most vulnerable at the mercy of a system they cannot access.

In The Silent Crisis, legal reform advocate La’Tonya Nicole Ford exposes the deep flaws of the U.S. judicial system, the chronic underfunding of legal aid, and Congress’s failure to address the widening justice gap. This white paper offers a bold call to action and introduces Pro Se Powerhouse, an initiative committed to empowering SRLs and transforming access to justice from the ground up.

Inside This Critical Report:

• A detailed overview of the national justice deficit
• The collapse of legal aid and structural neglect by Congress
• A case for urgent reform, backed by data and lived experience
• A spotlight on Pro Se Powerhouse and its frontline efforts
• Concrete recommendations to rebuild a fairer legal system

Perfect for: legal professionals, policymakers, court officials, social justice advocates, and anyone seeking to understand and fix America’s broken legal access framework.