Conclusion
The Court continues to encounter many of the same challenges related to serving a substantial share of self-represented litigants as first recounted in its 2011 Pro Se Report. The federal courts have all encountered a tight budget climate. Locally, a substantial drop from the Court’s record number of filings has further reduced our Court’s budget. This decline in bankruptcy filings has been accompanied by only a comparatively slight decrease in the rate of pro se filings. The consistency of the Court’s self-represented filing rate underscores the continuing need to address this population more effectively. The programs and initiatives carried out in 2013 have been effective in increasing access to the Court despite severe budget cuts. One of our next challenges will be to use our slightly better knowledge of underserved communities to get the word out about the resources that are available before needy individuals spend too much or are defrauded before they learn of legitimate services.