While pro bono services are vigorously promoted at legal aid clinics around Texas, it continues to be a challenge to help everyone in need of such services. Frequently, individuals are unaware of their legal rights and responsibilities. Consequently they encounter financial hardships when attempting to resolve or defend against legal matters that could have been avoided. Those without adequate resources to consult an attorney often turn to legal aid clinics for assistance.

TYLA historically has supported programs to assist low-income Texans. Most recently, TYLA has assisted colonia residents along the Texas-Mexico border with various legal problems, such as obtaining clear title to land. TYLA also sponsors wills clinics in low-income areas of the State to educate the public about the importance of proper disposition of property upon death. Building upon TYLA's efforts to help educate the poor, TYLA President Andrew Strong envisioned a method of reaching the masses that would relieve some of the burden from legal aid offices by providing the public with a resource about a variety of legal topics that affect our lives daily.

“Law of the Land: The Texas Roadmap to Understanding Your Legal Rights and Responsibilities” is a project designed to inform new immigrants and low-income Texans about their legal rights and responsibilities under Texas and federal law. The program addresses eight specific topics: (1) immigration (naturalization and family-based immigration); (2) voting rights, jury duty and obtaining a U.S. passport; (3) employment rights; (4) landlord–tenant issues; (5) debtor and consumer issues; (6) tax law; (7) family law (divorce and child support); and (8) probate law (the importance of wills).

The "Law of the Land" booklet was written with the intention of educating its reader prior to the need for legal assistance. For instance, a person exposed to this booklet could avoid potential conflicts by learning about his or her rights and responsibilities as a tenant or, perhaps, as a parent responsible for child support payments. A person who is aware of his or her responsibilities additionally will be in a better position should an actual conflict arise. A final section of the booklet, entitled “Where to go for More Information,” lists other available resources available that have additional material on each topic, such as legal aid offices, state and local offices, non-profit agencies, and websites.

Due to a generous grant by the Texas Bar Foundation, the booklet will be accompanied by another award-winning TYLA video. The video, which is currently in production, will briefly spotlight each of the eight topics in English and Spanish as a supplement to the booklet in order to reach audiences who may not be literate. Both the booklet and the video are expected to be available in April 2003 and will be distributed to Texans through public libraries, government offices, and legal aid organizations. The project will also be presented at various TYLA clinics, and the booklet will be made available on the TYLA website.

TYLA gives special thanks to Heather Way of Texas C-BAR and Mandi Matlock of Texas Taxpayer Assistance Project, Texas Rural Legal Aid, for their assistance in editing the booklet and compiling resources for the reference section. If you would like more information on this project or know of any organizations who would like to distribute the booklet and video, please contact Mary Reveles, Patsy Yung or anyone on the Outreach to Low Income Texans committee.

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