California's court system is the largest in the nation and serves a population of more than 39.5 million people — about 12 percent of the total U.S. population. 

Every year, thousands of Californians seek support for legal claims as self-represented litigants, or SRLs. This self-help system is managed by the Judicial Council of California, the administrative body for California’s courts; it offers legal assistance resources on a variety of topics such family law, civil proceedings and a variety of other issues. Every year, more and more Californians choose to represent themselves before the courts, a trend that the State has sought to address with new investments in technology and content.