TX HB2707

Creates a new licensing system for legal paraprofessionals in Texas, administered by the Texas Supreme Court and Board of Law Examiners, with specialty licenses available in family law, estate planning and probate, consumer debt, administrative law, civil law, and criminal law

Establishes eligibility requirements including being at least 18 years old, holding a high school diploma, U.S. work authorization, passing a licensing examination, demonstrating good moral character, and meeting educational/experience qualifications such as paralegal certification or 5 years of substantive legal work experience

Requires a one-year probationary period with attorney supervision for newly licensed paraprofessionals, and limits services to low-income clients who provide a self-certification affidavit

Permits family law paraprofessionals to handle uncontested divorces without children or real property transfers, uncontested protective orders, and standard parent-child relationship suits; estate planning paraprofessionals may assist with powers of attorney, small estate affidavits, transfer on death deeds, and similar documents

Allows civil law paraprofessionals to handle cases with amounts in controversy between $200 and $15,000, and criminal law paraprofessionals to represent clients charged with fine-only nonviolent misdemeanors, excluding offenses involving violence, weapons, or intoxication