Author Archives: richardzorza

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About richardzorza

I am deeply involved in access to justice and the patient voice movement.

Moving to Open Access For All Decisions — Implications for SRLs and For Access Organizations

Posted on October 29, 2015 by richardzorza

Today’s New York Times reports on what has the potential to be a revolutionary development in access to legal materials for access to justice. Now, in a digital-age sacrifice intended to serve grand intentions, the Harvard librarians are slicing off … Continue reading →

Posted in Libraries, Self-Help Services, Technology | 2 Comments

Law School Loan Incentives Reconsidered

Posted on October 26, 2015 by richardzorza

The New York Times has an excellent article on the wasted money going into encouraging law school loans for people who will never get bar cads, or pay back their loans.  The law schools get cash, and everyone else gets … Continue reading →

Posted in Incubators, Law Schools, Non-Lawyer Practice | 1 Comment

Making a Mockery of Indigents’ Right Of Court Access, and a Former Chief Justice shows Leadership

Posted on October 26, 2015 by richardzorza

A clerk in Texas has been making a mockery of the right of access to justice of indigents.  As explained in the Texas Tribune: In 2012, six plaintiffs from Tarrant County sued the local district court clerk for charging them … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Court Fees and Costs, Court Management | 1 Comment

What Do Courts Mean to Say When They Cite the Proposition That The Same Rules Apply to the Self-Represented and the Represented

Posted on October 24, 2015 by richardzorza

All to often, appellate courts cite something for the proposition that self-represented litigants are held to the same rules as those with lawyers.  The problem with this obvious statement (which is even in its own terms untrue when the rules … Continue reading →

Posted in Appellate Practice, Judicial Ethics, Supreme Court | 3 Comments

A Tribute to My Father

Posted on October 19, 2015 by richardzorza

Today would have been the 90th birthday of my father,  Victor Zorza.  Anyone who has read his biography, here, would know that he and I did not always have the easiest of relationships, and I have to often found it … Continue reading →

Posted in Hospice, Personal | 1 Comment

ABA Commission Recomending Model Regulatory Objectives Can Lay Groundwork for Innovation and For Integration with CCJ/COSCA 100% Access Resolution Process

Posted on October 18, 2015 by richardzorza

The ABA Commission on the Future of Legal Services, is seeking comments on proposed ABA Model Regulatory Objectives.  The proposed Objectives are as follows: A. Protection of the public B. Advancement of the administration of justice and the rule of … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Bar Associations | Comments Off on ABA Commission Recomending Model Regulatory Objectives Can Lay Groundwork for Innovation and For Integration with CCJ/COSCA 100% Access Resolution Process

Both Disturbing and Humorous Piece on Ways Women Have to Present to Avoid Being Ignored

Posted on October 15, 2015 by richardzorza

Alexandra Petri  has a piece in the Washington Post which I find sadly disturbing on Famous quotes, the way a woman would have to say them during a meeting. Example: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” Woman in a Meeting: … Continue reading →

Posted in Attorney-Client, Discrimination | 3 Comments

New York Making Big Progress on Multi-Lingual Court Orders

Posted on October 13, 2015 by richardzorza

Many of us have long believed that creating multi-lingual court orders could have a big impact on compliance and court efficiency. The New York courts have recently started taking big steps in that direction.  As the press release says: In … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Management, Document Assembly, Domestic Violence, LEP, Technology | 2 Comments

Deregulation of Nonprofit Legal Practice — An ATJ Breakthrough?

Posted on October 13, 2015 by richardzorza

Here is an idea that might be a breakthrough for access to justice, while enhancing the role and reputation of community based nonprofit legal aid programs. How about almost complete deregulation of nonprofit legal practice.  True nonprofits (defined not only … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Attorney-Client, Incubators, Legal Aid, Legal Ethics, Non-Lawyer Practice, Systematic Change, Technology | 3 Comments

Triage and Means Testing

Posted on October 3, 2015 by richardzorza

A question has come up on where means testing comes in the triage process.  I think the model is the LSC websites, which do not do means testing. To be more precise, people should be able to go through the … Continue reading →

Posted in Triage | 2 Comments

We Never Think of the Tax Code As a Tool for Access to Justice – It Could be Huge

Posted on September 30, 2015 by richardzorza

I am working on a paper for the Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics 2016 Symposium issue on the relationship between access to justice, legal ethics and commercialization.  It as been a great opportunity to think about creating ways of transcending … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally | 1 Comment

Presidential Memorandum on Access to Justice and Legal Aid Interagency Roundtale is Major Milestone in Creating the National ATJ Mosaic

Posted on September 24, 2015 by richardzorza

A big deal.  The President has put in place a Presidential Memorandum on access to justice and the Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable (LAIR).  This joins the Conference of Chiefs/COSCA 100% Resolution as the second huge piece in the national Mosaic … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Budget Issues, Discrimination, Funding, International Cooperation, Outcome Measures, Research and Evalation, Tools, White House | 6 Comments

The VW Scandal Tells Us That We Have to Find a Way to Make Software Transparent — Particularly for Courts

Posted on September 23, 2015 by richardzorza

The truly shocking VW emissions fraud should force us to think through how we can ensure the transparency that is needed in software.  The general issue is excellently summarize in this recent NYT article: “Intelligent public policy, as we all … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, Transparency, Triage | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Jim Greiner’s Comment on the Inherent Conflict Respresented by Funding Public Defenders by Fees Charged Defendant’s and My Response

Posted on September 21, 2015 by richardzorza

Jim Greiner has submitted a brilliant and challenging comment on my recent post about the funding of 41% of the New Orleans Public Defender from court fines, fees and assessments.  It is worth very serious consideration.  Here is the full … Continue reading →

Posted in Attorney-Client, Bail, Budget Issues, Chasm with Communities, Commentators, Court Management, Criminal Law, Defender Programs, Political Support, Poverty, Public Defender | 4 Comments

Meeting on ATJ and UN Development Goals in NY on Sept 24 Offers Opportunity to Engage Important Subject

Posted on September 19, 2015 by richardzorza

As David Udell has been urging, it is long past time for US access to justice advocates to engage with the UN on Goal 16 of its Development Goals, dealing with access to justice, and with its potential implications.  As … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, International Cooperation, International Models | 1 Comment