Librarians won't replace attorneys or provide advice, state officials said, but will assist those who can't afford legal representation or don't want to pay for it in small-claims cases.
"This is in no way the answer," said Melville D. Miller Jr., president and general counsel of Legal Services of New Jersey. "But a small percentage of people can benefit."
More complicated matters will always require lawyers, he said. "As the saying goes, 'A man who represents himself has a fool for a client.' "
People "with significant legal problems have all kinds of impediments to representing themselves in court," Miller said. "Add the limitations of those in poverty - education, language, and fearfulness of government institutions - and most people cannot represent themselves."
Legal Services of New Jersey has been hampered by state budget cuts and dropping contributions for several years. State funding was cut by one-third or $9.7 million for fiscal 2011.
Since 2007, the staff, including attorneys, has dropped from 725 to 550 in March and will drop to 450 in January. By then, the number of lawyers will be down 36 percent, to 225.
The aid reduction meant a loss of $1.8 million for South Jersey Legal Services, resulting in 27 planned layoffs out of a staff of 90. The agency already had trimmed its budget by $1.1 million because of plummeting revenues on interest-bearing accounts.
Statewide, interest income for Legal Services fell from $3.7 million in 2007 to less than $400,000 last year because of a drop in economic activity. Private donations and United Way grants also decreased.
"Things were already lean before, but these cuts will force us to reduce our level of client service drastically," said Douglas Gershuny, executive director of South Jersey Legal Services.
His agency expects to handle 3,500 fewer cases in 2011 compared with this year.
