The Need for Sua Sponte Judicial Review Laws For Pro Se Litigants’ Lawsuits

In efforts working alongside Tennessee legislators and obtaining facts for the publication of this website my husband and I discovered that a number of judges themselves want a judicial review law or other similar laws that will empower them to screen pro se lawsuits so as to quickly dismiss meritless, harassing pro se lawsuits before these pro se litigants can do damage to their intended victims (are these judges not aware that they already possess the power to issue sua sponte dismissals of meritless pro se lawsuits?).  We also discovered that a number of court clerks reported feeling threatened or at least very uneasy around many pro se litigants.  Court clerks stated that it was their belief or that they witnessed firsthand that judges and other court staff have also felt threatened and uneasy around many pro se litigants. These court clerks also stated that whereas judges in courtrooms have security staff at the ready, court clerks have to call security to come to their aid.  One court clerk stated that he has been asking the judges in the court where he works to practice judicial review of pro se litigants’ lawsuits so as to summarily dismiss many of these lawsuits because of how often these meritless, abusive and time-consuming lawsuits are filed without any legal basis or legitimate claims.  Court clerks also expressed their belief that court filing fees are badly outdated and need to be raised to reflect actual current court costs and the overall increase in the general public’s income levels.  Court clerks unanimously reported wholehearted support for proposed legislation calling for judicial review of lawsuits filed by pro se / self-represented litigants.  Other states’ court staff most likely share the same observations and support for judicial review laws as their colleagues have in Tennessee.