The Massachusetts court system has been ranked second in the nation for the amount of assistance given to people who represent themselves in court.
The state first opened Court Service Centers in 2014 to help people who don't have lawyers. The fifth center opened recently in the Hampden County Hall of Justice in Springfield.
The service centers provide resources to help people navigate the court system. They are staffed by attorneys employed by the Trial Court, with help from law librarians, volunteer pro bono attorneys, college and law school students and community volunteers.
More than 25,000 people have used the centers since they opened.
The National Center for Access to Justice recently ranked the Massachusetts court second, behind only the District of Columbia, for services provided to people without lawyers.
