Our Mission
Why MyGavel Exists
Modern legal self-help tools for the millions of Americans who navigate court without an attorney.
- AI Assisted
- Secure Platform
- Legal Self-Help
- Privacy Focused
- No Legal Advice
The Access to Justice Challenge
Every year, millions of Americans walk into courtrooms without a lawyer. Family law, small claims, probate, unlawful detainer, restraining orders, civil disputes — across nearly every kind of case, a substantial share of filers appear on their own behalf.
The reasons are consistent and well-documented: legal representation is expensive, licensed attorneys are unavailable in many communities, and some filers simply prefer to handle their own matters. Whatever the reason, the courts don't slow down. Deadlines run, forms must be filed in the right format, and hearings happen whether a person feels prepared or not.
Preparation, in other words, becomes the difference-maker. And preparation is exactly what most self-represented filers lack the tools to build.
Why MyGavel Was Created
MyGavel exists to close that preparation gap. We build modern legal self-help software that helps self-represented litigants:
- Prepare organized, court-formatted drafts of common documents.
- Keep every filing, exhibit, and note in one case workspace.
- Track court deadlines and hearing dates in a single calendar.
- Manage evidence and correspondence without losing paperwork.
- Navigate the litigation process in plain English, at their own pace.
We are not a law firm. MyGavel does not provide legal advice, cannot recommend legal strategy, and does not guarantee any outcome. What we do provide is the same kind of preparation infrastructure that attorneys take for granted — made available to the people who need it most.
Supporting Statistics
California court users represent themselves
Self-represented litigants across California courts
California family law petitioners file without attorneys
Family law petitioners identified as self-represented
California probate petitioners represent themselves
Probate petitioners identified as self-represented
Americans represent themselves every year
Self-represented litigants across U.S. state courts
Based on research published by the National Center for State Courts and the Judicial Council of California. See Sources & References.
What MyGavel Is Not
Not a law firm
Not your attorney
Not legal advice
Not a guarantee of outcome
The Path Forward
MyGavel is built for Americans who are already going to court on their own — and who deserve to arrive prepared. If that describes you, start with a case: