Category Archives: Access to Justice Generally

How the Access To Justice Movement is Helping Constrain Trumpism

Posted on December 31, 2018 by richardzorza

Of course, the access to justice (ATJ) movement is resolutely non-partisan, as exemplified by its endorsement by the Conference of Chief Justices. But that does not stop it being part of the bulwark of value-driven institutions that help hold the … Continue reading →

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Becky Sandefur is a MacArthur!!!

Posted on October 5, 2018 by richardzorza

What wonderful news to wake up to! Becky Sandefur, one of the smartest, gentlest and most beloved contributors to our network has just gotten a MacArthur. Her work has already reshaped our field, initially by demonstrating beyond doubt the utterly … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Research and Evalation | Comments Off on Becky Sandefur is a MacArthur!!!

Judiciary Committee Democrats Should Call the Republican “Assistant” as an Expert Witness on Sex Assault Reporting and Veracity

Posted on September 25, 2018 by richardzorza

We all remember the scene from Inherit the Wind.  Spencer Tracey, playing Clarence Darrow, is cut off from calling almost all his experts, so he turns round and calls the prosecuting William Jennings Brown-based character, who then makes a fool … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Discrimination, Political Issues and Justice, Supreme Court, White House | 1 Comment

Where the Investigation is Headed: Some Propositions

Posted on August 10, 2018 by richardzorza

I offer some propositions as to where the Mueller investigation is headed, and what can and will happen: One:  Under No Circumstances Will Trump Offer Testimony Under Oath. Guilliani posturing notwithstanding, there is no chance that Trump will testify for … Continue reading →

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Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Political Issues and Justice | Comments Off on Where the Investigation is Headed: Some Propositions

A Telling Moment

Posted on August 9, 2018 by richardzorza

I feel I should report on a fascinating and telling interaction a couple of weeks ago with people associated with the Secret Service. I was at a meeting in a DC hotel that happened to be being conducted in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally | Comments Off on A Telling Moment

What a Real Apology Takes

Posted on June 10, 2018 by richardzorza

PR folks have mastered the art of the “non-apology,” and we are all the worse for it. First of all, “I am sorry” is simply not an apology.  It is completely ambiguous, with two meanings that in context are often … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Family Law, Love, Personal, Social Workers | Comments Off on What a Real Apology Takes

The Corporate Response to Trump

Posted on June 9, 2018 by richardzorza

I have been suggesting that the “public trust and confidence” analogy between public commitment to court processes and fairness and public politics process and fairness might be useful.  The idea is that we need to find the way to talk … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Anti-Trust, Federal Agencies, Federal Courts, International Cooperation, Judicial Supremacy, Political Support, Supreme Court, White House | Comments Off on The Corporate Response to Trump

Justice Kennedy’s Opinion On “Baking Discrimination” Is Clarion Call for Process Neutrality In The Entire Governmental Sphere

Posted on June 4, 2018 by richardzorza

In a brilliant piece in Politico today, Professor Richard Primus argues that the Baking for Gay Marriage Opinion, by rejecting broad First Amendment protections for discrimination, sets up the travel ban case for a similarly positive outcome, not only because … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Discrimination, Federal Courts, Freedom of Expression, Immigration, Political Support, Supreme Court | Comments Off on Justice Kennedy’s Opinion On “Baking Discrimination” Is Clarion Call for Process Neutrality In The Entire Governmental Sphere

Study Showing Greater Racial Bias By Republican Judges Has to Shatter Our Assumptions

Posted on May 28, 2018 by richardzorza

I was getting ready to draft a rebuttal to an article from the New York Times, Would you go to a Republican Doctor, reporting a study that “knowing about people’s political beliefs did interfere with the ability to assess those … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Bias, Chasm with Communities, Discrimination, Federal Courts | 1 Comment

Larry Nassar Sentencing Might Stimulate Discussion About Judicial Neutrality

Posted on February 5, 2018 by richardzorza

The New York Times Headline sets it up perfectly: Victims in Larry Nassar Abuse Case Find a Fierce Advocate: The Judge Now, the spouse of a sexual assault advocate within me cheers this on, but the former public defender within … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Judicial Ethics | Comments Off on Larry Nassar Sentencing Might Stimulate Discussion About Judicial Neutrality

Florida Bar Foundation and SRLN gets Kudos For their ATJ Mapping from ESRI, the GIS Company

Posted on December 13, 2017 by richardzorza

I have already raved about this product, which brilliantly brings together multiple data to show the ATJ burden and treat from the Hurricane. So it is great to see that ESRI, a very major GIS-mapping company has honored this project … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Boards, Access to Justice Generally, Census Bureau, IOLTA, Mapping/GIS, Metrics, Software Developers, Technology | Comments Off on Florida Bar Foundation and SRLN gets Kudos For their ATJ Mapping from ESRI, the GIS Company

Nice to Get ABA Journal Award

Posted on November 28, 2017 by richardzorza

The AB Journal now does a Web 100 list honoring “the best of lawyers and the law on the web.”  They have included this blog this year on their list.  The logo signifying this award is on the right side … Continue reading →

Posted in ABA, Access to Justice Generally, Technology, This Blog | 4 Comments

Roberts Choice of Garland to Head Executive Committee of Federal Judicial Conference is a Huge ATJ Opportunity

Posted on November 23, 2017 by richardzorza

In what many would consider a “class act,” Chief Justice Roberts recently appointed Chief Judge of the DC Circuit Judge Garland to chair the Executive Committee of the Federal Judicial Conference. As the release explains: The 26-member Judicial Conference is the … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Federal Courts, LSC | Comments Off on Roberts Choice of Garland to Head Executive Committee of Federal Judicial Conference is a Huge ATJ Opportunity

Thoughts on the Shriver Study

Posted on November 4, 2017 by richardzorza

It is now several months since the California Shriver Pilot Report was issued.  The findings and recommendations concerning benefits of counsel have been widely disseminated. (Report announcement summary here) So, I want to here highlight some of the findings that … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Counsel, Access to Justice Generally, Court Management, Document Assembly, E-filing, Legal Aid, Self-Help Services | Comments Off on Thoughts on the Shriver Study

Oral History Interview Fragment: Future of Access to Justice

Posted on November 3, 2017 by richardzorza

Last week, I was honored to be interviewed by Alan Houseman for the oral history project of the National Equal Justice Library. I will be posting fragments that folks might find useful. This first one actually comes near the end … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, History, Legal Aid, LSC, Non-Lawyer Practice, Referral Systems, Systematic Change, video | 2 Comments