Mark Melton nearly single handedly has created a system for providing representation to people facing eviction in Dallas When tenants don't have legal representation, landlords win 79% of the time. With legal representation that drops to 10%. In Texas, eviction courts are handled by justices of the peace and defendants are not entitled to legal representation. Simply enforcing due process has made a dramatic difference in people's lives.

In most states, justices of the peace are authorized to preside over local courts handling minor criminal or civil disputes within a specific precinct. Usually this is small claims court, traffic violations, administer oaths and sometimes judge criminal misdemeanors. In Texas, and 7 other states, this includes eviction proceedings. Justices of the peace are elected, do not need to have a legal background (although often do) and are given training in the laws that apply in their jurisdiction after they are elected or appointed. In the case of evictions in Texas, a state with very few renter protections, this often means that rule of law is unevenly applied.