Author Archives: richardzorza

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About richardzorza

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

Another “Roles Beyond Lawyers” Evaluation Adds To the Very Encouraging Mosaic and Highlights Need For Replication Support

Posted on March 23, 2017 by richardzorza

This week, the Preliminary Evaluation of the Washington State Limited License Legal Technician (LLLT) program, performed by the National Center for State Courts and the American Bar Foundation, was released.  The basic idea of the program is to permit certain … Continue reading →

Posted in 100% Access Strategy and Campaign, Bar Associations, Court Management, De-Regulation, Law Schools, Legal Aid, Legal Ethics, Mixed Model, Non-Lawyer Practice, Public Welfare Foundation, Research and Evalation, Systematic Change, Triage | 1 Comment

Nevada Shows It Is Time for Another Shot at the Equal Rights Amendment

Posted on March 21, 2017 by richardzorza

I have been thinking for a few days that maybe it was time to think about a new initiative to pass the (gender) Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). My thought was that the last failures to reach the required three quarter … Continue reading →

Posted in Constitution, Discrimination, Supreme Court | Comments Off on Nevada Shows It Is Time for Another Shot at the Equal Rights Amendment

A Tool For Assessing SRL Hearing Quality from the US Dept. of Labor

Posted on March 18, 2017 by richardzorza

As state start to think about evaluating how their judges do in cases without lawyers, this might be a useful starting point.  It is US Department of Labor Handbook on measuring hearing quality in unemployment hearings (in which the vast … Continue reading →

Posted in Administative Proecdure, Judicial Ethics, Metrics, Research and Evalation | 1 Comment

Yet Another Way to Challenge the Legal Sufficiency of the Trump Presidency — Competency to Sign Orders and Bills

Posted on March 15, 2017 by richardzorza

There has finally started to be some attention to the 25th Amendment mechanism for removal of the President (Larry Tribe on MSNBC, transcript here). The main problem is that while the VP would surely welcome such a development, can not … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Attorney-Client, Congress, Constitution, Supreme Court, White House | Comments Off on Yet Another Way to Challenge the Legal Sufficiency of the Trump Presidency — Competency to Sign Orders and Bills

Cop House Lawyers Ordered In Chicago

Posted on March 14, 2017 by richardzorza

This could be the begining of a major change.  As few outside the criminal justice system know, in the US most people without resources do not get to talk to a lawyer until shortly before they see a judge. That … Continue reading →

Posted in Bail, Chasm with Communities, Criminal Law, Defender Programs, Policing, Public Defender, Research and Evalation | Comments Off on Cop House Lawyers Ordered In Chicago

What Does It Say That Courts Records Are No Longer To Be Used For Credit Score Calculating and Reporting

Posted on March 12, 2017 by richardzorza

What a judgment on the courts.  As reported by the Washington Post — (Kenneth R. Harney): In a little-known policy shift, the three national credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — plan to stop collecting and reporting substantial amounts … Continue reading →

Posted in Bankruptcy, Consumer Rights, Court Fees and Costs, Court Management, Debt Collction, Evictions, Foreclosure, Housing | 3 Comments

Wonderful Video on Self-Help Services Is a Tool to Ensure 100% Availability of this Key Service, and Introduces the Triage Concept

Posted on March 9, 2017 by richardzorza

The Justice of All Strategic Planning Guidance, issued last August, identifies a number of basic services which should be available to all if 100% access is to be provided.  Obviously one of the most critical is universally available self-help services. … Continue reading →

Posted in 100% Access Strategy and Campaign, Forms, Funding, Self-Help Services, Triage | 1 Comment

CCJ/COSCA Letter to OMB on LSC Funding Highlights Bipartisan Support for Access to Justice

Posted on March 6, 2017 by richardzorza

In response to recent stories that the Administration had LSC on a target list, perhaps the most powerfully bipartisan bodies in the US legal system chimed in in support for LSC funding. The Presidents of the Conference of Chief Justices … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Budget Issues, Census Bureau, Funding, Legal Aid, LSC, Political Support, White House | Comments Off on CCJ/COSCA Letter to OMB on LSC Funding Highlights Bipartisan Support for Access to Justice

Do Not Call Us Immigrants, Call us “Americans By Choice”

Posted on February 27, 2017 by richardzorza

That’s what I am, that’s what millions of us are. So, why are we supposedly lesser Americans, or rather why do so many others think we are lesser. If anything, the argument that “we Americans by Choice have shown more … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Immigration | 2 Comments

Relationship of Global to US Access to Justice

Posted on February 21, 2017 by richardzorza

The upcoming Tuesday March 21 gathering, at Fordham Law School, on Unifying Global and U.S. Access to Justice Movements: The Judicial Perspective should help get us thinking about that huge and challenging topic. The speakers will be: Matthew Diller, Dean … Continue reading →

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

Clint Bamberger’s Death Kicks In the Gut

Posted on February 17, 2017 by richardzorza

We heard today of Clint Bamberger’s death, at age 90.  The New York Times obituary focuses mainly on his landmark Supreme Court case of Betts v. Brady, establishing the obligation on prosecutors to disclose exculpatory evidence. But for generations of … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Law Schools, Legal Aid, LSC, Obituaries and Appreciations | 1 Comment

A New Era of Jury Nullification?

Posted on February 16, 2017 by richardzorza

Trump threat tweeted today that “the spotlight has finally been put on the low-life leakers! They will be caught!” That leaves a big loophole, since the vast majority are probably not”low-life” at all, but patriots.  They should be safe. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Criminal Law, Policing, White House | Comments Off on A New Era of Jury Nullification?

The Totally Unbalanced Amici List in the Ninth Circuit Tells the Whole Story

Posted on February 8, 2017 by richardzorza

As a general matter, the line up of amici in a significant case provides some indication of how institutions are lining up on the issue.  If this were an issue on which the country were split, one might expect that … Continue reading →

Posted in Constitution, Judicial Supremacy | Comments Off on The Totally Unbalanced Amici List in the Ninth Circuit Tells the Whole Story

Rebranding and Revitalizing the Legal Profession

Posted on February 4, 2017 by richardzorza

Whatever you make think about the Trump administration, one thing is clear, the public is being reminded of the importance of the availability of lawyers.  Maybe also, the profession itself is remembering also how much helping real people with real problems … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Counsel, Access to Justice Generally, Immigration, Pro Bono | 1 Comment

What Emma Lazarus Would Write Today

Posted on February 1, 2017 by richardzorza

Christine Webb is a British poet of great accomplishment and also a close multi-generational family friend. I feel honored that we are able to share this magnificent poem that Christine has written in response to recent actions taken in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Dept. of Justice, Immigration, International Cooperation, Personal, White House | 2 Comments