Category Archives: Access to Justice Generally

Every Community Should Have a Civil Justice Coordinator and Coordinating Council

Posted on June 13, 2015 by richardzorza

The New York City Council recently passed a bill to create an Office of Civil Justice Coordinator. The bill, which was co-sponsored by Councilman Mark Levine, would create an office within the Human Resources Administration and have a budget of … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Boards, Access to Justice Generally, Bar Associations, Budget Issues, Legal Aid, Triage | Comments Off on Every Community Should Have a Civil Justice Coordinator and Coordinating Council

The DOJ Access to Justice Research Workshop Is An Important Achievement And A Milestone

Posted on June 4, 2015 by richardzorza

The recent Research Workshop was sponsored by NIJ (National Institute of Justice) and ATJ (Access to Justice Initiative) within the Department of Justice, and by the National Science Foundation (NSF).  Attorney General Loretta Lynch both spoke and blogged about it … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Dept. of Justice, Research and Evalation | 1 Comment

Broader Lessons From NYT Highlighted Brennan Center Book Featuring Presidential Candidates (and others) on Criminal Justice Reform

Posted on April 28, 2015 by richardzorza

The Times rightly highlights the astonishing fact of how many of the presidential candidates, regardless of party, agree on the need for often similar reforms of the criminal justice system, in this new book released today by the Brennan Center.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Criminal Law, Funding | Comments Off on Broader Lessons From NYT Highlighted Brennan Center Book Featuring Presidential Candidates (and others) on Criminal Justice Reform

Hearing Lisa’ Foster’s Keynote at the Equal Justice Conference Should Be An Important Moment

Posted on April 9, 2015 by richardzorza

We have just heard that Lisa Foster, the head of the DOJ Access to Justice Initiative, will be keynoting the Equal Justice Conference next month. The chance to hear what she has to say from her perch as one of … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Dept. of Justice | Comments Off on Hearing Lisa’ Foster’s Keynote at the Equal Justice Conference Should Be An Important Moment

Nonlawyer Courtroom Navigator Follow-Up — Initial NY Report shows Value and Impact

Posted on February 25, 2015 by richardzorza

Now we can read the full Navigator Report that led NY Chief Justice Lippman to report on the success of the Project and to announce his plan to propose to the legislature “legislation this year that calls for a further … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Self-Help Services, State of Judiciary Speeches | 3 Comments

Core Strategies for Legal System Reform

Posted on February 8, 2015 by richardzorza

I have been thinking recently about what we might think of as the core strategies for justice system reform, and here are some preliminary suggestions, on which I welcome debate: 1.     Set Ambitious Goals Grounded in Core Values and Mission … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Systematic Change | 1 Comment

A Fascinating Opinion by Judge Jack Weinstein (EDNY) Raises New Questions and Opportunities About the Relationship between Civil Gideon and Judicial Engagement

Posted on January 31, 2015 by richardzorza

Senior Judge Jack Weinstein of the Eastern District of NY recently recused himself sua sponte after engaging in a colloquy with a self-represented litigant about evidnce relating to the possibility that his claim in an employment discrimination complaint was time-bared. … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Counsel, Access to Justice Generally, Judicial Ethics, Triage | Comments Off on A Fascinating Opinion by Judge Jack Weinstein (EDNY) Raises New Questions and Opportunities About the Relationship between Civil Gideon and Judicial Engagement

Guest Post From Elizabeth Arledge: #LegalAid Voices “Storm” the Twitterverse

Posted on January 20, 2015 by richardzorza

Elizabeth writes as follows: Well, THAT was fun. Something amazing happened last week on the way to tonight’s State of the Union address. When Voices for Civil Justice invited members of our JusticeVoices network to participate in a “Twitter storm” … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Communications Strategy, Funding, White House | Comments Off on Guest Post From Elizabeth Arledge: #LegalAid Voices “Storm” the Twitterverse

The Power of the Pen and Phone — Exploring Opportunities for Access to Justice in the Next Two Years

Posted on January 16, 2015 by richardzorza

Recent executive actions in immigration, and now asset forfeiture underline just how great is the President’s “power of the pen and phone.” — his ability by regulation or other executive action to make very significant changes in the way government … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Administative Proecdure, Budget Issues, Dept. of Justice, Document Assembly, E-filing, Funding, Law Schools, Non-Lawyer Practice, Veterans, White House | Tagged , , | Comments Off on The Power of the Pen and Phone — Exploring Opportunities for Access to Justice in the Next Two Years

Analysis of Proposed Regs on HHS IV-D Child Support Money — Comments Due Jan 16 — Opportunity to Help Finance Self-Help Infrastructure

Posted on January 7, 2015 by richardzorza

I have long been urging states to take advantage of the IV-D program, which through uncapped matching, triples state investment in child support activities, to help finance self-help services.  Several states such as California do so, and California has used … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Child Support, Court Management, Funding, Self-Help Services | Comments Off on Analysis of Proposed Regs on HHS IV-D Child Support Money — Comments Due Jan 16 — Opportunity to Help Finance Self-Help Infrastructure

NYT “Fixes” Column Highlights “Downshift Jobs” as Problem Solver — Consider Legal System Implications

Posted on December 12, 2014 by richardzorza

Those who are worried about the emerging trend to use more non-lawyers in the legal system, including perhaps in the courtroom, might be somewhat reassured by the evidence that this approach is being used in other professions.  Indeed, a recent … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Non-Lawyer Practice, Research and Evalation, Systematic Change, Technology | Comments Off on NYT “Fixes” Column Highlights “Downshift Jobs” as Problem Solver — Consider Legal System Implications

ABA Commission on Future of Legal Services Comment Deadline Extended to Dec 20

Posted on December 10, 2014 by richardzorza

The deadline for comments to the ABA Commission on the Future of Legal Services issues document has been extended to Dec 20.  I have previously blogged with some ideas. Here are some more thoughts: Institutionalized Consumer Input Should there, perhaps, … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally | Comments Off on ABA Commission on Future of Legal Services Comment Deadline Extended to Dec 20

ABA Commission on Future of Legal Services Comments — Now Due Dec 20 — Some Challenging Thoughts

Posted on December 6, 2014 by richardzorza

Update:  The comment period has been extended to Dec 20. +++++++++++++++++++++++ I should have blogged about this weeks ago.  But the due date of Dec 10 for comments on the ABA Commission on the Future of Legal Services has almost … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Attorney-Client, Legal Aid, Systematic Change | 1 Comment

Some Observations on the Newly Updated Justice Index

Posted on November 27, 2014 by richardzorza

The National Center for Access to Justice recently put in place a number of corrections offered by 21 states to the Justice Index, so its time to take a look and see what we learn. The most important point is … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Counsel, Access to Justice Generally, Forms, Justice Index, Legal Aid, LEP, Plain Language, Self-Help Services | Comments Off on Some Observations on the Newly Updated Justice Index

Minnesota Supreme Court Takes Important Step Reversing Attorney Misconduct Admonition in Unbundled Case

Posted on October 24, 2014 by richardzorza

This may be the first time that a state Supreme Court has intervened to protect the integrity and force of a limited scope agreement. As such it is an important step in defending the force of the rules that protect … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Unbundling | Comments Off on Minnesota Supreme Court Takes Important Step Reversing Attorney Misconduct Admonition in Unbundled Case