Author Archives: richardzorza

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About richardzorza

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

More Greiner et al Offers of Counsel Studies – The Debate Continues – Newsmaker Interview Planned

Posted on October 24, 2011 by richardzorza

In a major development for access to justice, the next round of studies into the impact of offers of counsel, this one conducted by Jim Greiner, Cassandra Wolos Pattanayak, and Jonathan Hennessey, is now available.  They are likely to once … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal Aid, Research and Evalation | Tagged | Comments Off on More Greiner et al Offers of Counsel Studies – The Debate Continues – Newsmaker Interview Planned

Finally Some Real National Access Data — ABF Releases Mapping Study

Posted on October 24, 2011 by richardzorza

This is a big step in understanding our system.  The American Bar Foundation has released its ACCESS ACROSS AMERICA: FIRST REPORT OF THE CIVIL JUSTICE INFRASTRUCTURE MAPPING PROJECT.  Executive Summary here.  Full text here. The study maps, for all the … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Legal Aid, Research and Evalation, Self-Help Services, SRL Statistics, Transparency, Unbundling | Tagged , | 4 Comments

National Call on Justice Corps Leads the Way for Possible Multi-State Application

Posted on October 24, 2011 by richardzorza

Last Thursday, the promised national call on Justice Corps took place. Eleven states were there, interested in leveraging California’s brilliant idea and the Corporation for National and Community Service’s vision of students working for service and change into a national … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Management, Funding, Pro Bono, Self-Help Services | Tagged | 2 Comments

New Meaning for Judicial Engagement

Posted on October 21, 2011 by richardzorza

Linda Greenhouse on the NYT Opinionator blog catches a new use of the phrase “judicial engagement.”  While some of us involved with access to justice have used it, or rather something like it, to describe the process by which a … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Judicial Ethics, Supreme Court | Comments Off on New Meaning for Judicial Engagement

Maryland Joins States with Statewide Self-Help Services by Technology

Posted on October 19, 2011 by richardzorza

Congratulations Maryland.  District Court users statewide can now get statewide self-help services by internet chat or phone, as reported by the Baltimore Sun. In its first month of hosting live chats, 850 people have used the service. In comparison, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Self-Help Services, Technology | Tagged | Comments Off on Maryland Joins States with Statewide Self-Help Services by Technology

Important Law School Symposium in Denver Nov 4-5 on Right of Access to Justice

Posted on October 18, 2011 by richardzorza

This could be an important intellectual moment.  On Friday Nov 4 and Saturday Nov 5, the University of Colorado Law School is hosting a Symposium on TOWARD THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT OF ACCESS TO JUSTICE: IMPLICATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION.  Remember this is … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Meetings, Supreme Court | 3 Comments

Enhancing Legal Aid Board Capacity

Posted on October 14, 2011 by richardzorza

My personal view is that one of the very highest priorities in re-invigorating the legal aid movement is a major strategy to strengthen boards and dramatically increase the leadership role that they play.  To be direct, it is my feeling … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal Aid | Tagged | 1 Comment

Conference Call on Spreading the Justice Corps Model Concept

Posted on October 13, 2011 by richardzorza

As you know, I am a huge advocate of the Justice Corps model.  The core idea is to bring college students into the access to justice movement through the AmeriCorps model. I think it can be really transformative. On October … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Management, Pro Bono, Self-Help Services | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Out of the Ballpark Again — Illinois Pro Bono Mobile App

Posted on October 12, 2011 by richardzorza

Illinois LegalAid Online does it again. This time it is their Pro Bono Mobile App, now available for the iPhone, and soon for other platforms.  (See also prior post on their Self-Help App) This new app offers primers on Illinois … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally | 3 Comments

Good Idea for Using Best Practices Materials

Posted on October 11, 2011 by richardzorza

I have recently heard of a fine use of the Self-Represented Litigation Network’s Best Practices Document. The Texas Access to Justice Commission is using the document as the basis of an access innovation kit for Texas. They are going through … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Boards | Tagged | Comments Off on Good Idea for Using Best Practices Materials

White House Champions of Change Event October 13 — Video Now Available

Posted on October 7, 2011 by richardzorza

Update: the video of the event is now on the White House site.  Expect blog entries there on law school follow up. _____________________________________________________________ I understand that the White House is planning a “Champions of Change” event, celebrating leaders in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Counsel, Access to Justice Generally, Dept. of Justice, Law Schools, Pro Bono | Tagged | Comments Off on White House Champions of Change Event October 13 — Video Now Available

Derrick Bell Has Died

Posted on October 6, 2011 by richardzorza

Derrick Bell has died.  As the NYT obit puts it: Derrick Bell, a legal scholar who worked to expose the persistence of racism in America through his books and articles and his provocative career moves — he gave up a … Continue reading →

Posted in Law Schools | Tagged | Comments Off on Derrick Bell Has Died

ABA Journal Discusses Electronic Service/Notice and the Self-Represented

Posted on October 5, 2011 by richardzorza

An important article in the ABA Journal discusses the potential for electronic service and notice.  Read the whole thing. In the article, Glenn Rawdon of LSC is quoted laying down the issues for the poor and self-represented very clearly. If … Continue reading →

Posted in Mobile Technology, Self-Help Services, Technology | Tagged | 2 Comments

Philippine Small Claims Video and Thoughts on Languages

Posted on October 4, 2011 by richardzorza

Here is a small claims video for the Philippines, pointed out by Martin Gramatikov’s Access to Justice Blog. One of the interesting things is that you get to see a call center operator being polite to English speaking folks.  Another … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally | Comments Off on Philippine Small Claims Video and Thoughts on Languages

Courtwatching for Access to Justice

Posted on October 3, 2011 by richardzorza

Court watching, in which volunteers watch and report on public court proceedings, has a long history (e.g., NY since 1975).  Most recently, Monday’s Washington Post had an article on Court Watch, a domestic violence protective order process court watching project … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Management | Tagged | 1 Comment