Category Archives: Access to Justice Generally

Idea: Jointly-Sponsored Justice System Efficiency and Accessability Awards

Posted on February 7, 2011 by richardzorza

Here is an idea:  We should establish jointly sponsored awards for innovations that increase both efficiency and accessibility in the justice system. To win an award, you would have to demonstrate that a) the innovation saves money, and b) that … Continue reading →

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

Model Revised State APA Fails to Recognize Needs of the Self-Represented — ABA Response Being Debated

Posted on February 4, 2011 by richardzorza

Some of you may have been following the somewhat surprising story of the Model Revised State Administrative Procedure Act approved in late 2010 by the Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. That enactment, meant as a model for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Administative Proecdure, Judicial Ethics | Comments Off on Model Revised State APA Fails to Recognize Needs of the Self-Represented — ABA Response Being Debated

Interesting LEP DV and Access to Justice Opportunity

Posted on January 31, 2011 by richardzorza

The Violence Against Women Grants Program has a solicitation out for grants to existing LEP programs. This might, it seems to me, be used to fund programs in which such services were provided in courts and self-help programs. Due date … Continue reading →

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Implications of Broadband Initiative for Access to Justice — Interesting Canadian Experiment and a TIG idea

Posted on January 31, 2011 by richardzorza

Sunday’s Washington Post on rural broadband set me thinking about the need to be more creative about broadband and the justice system. When someone says medical and broadband in the same sentence, you know what to think — doctors doing … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Law Schools, Technology | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Important Webinar on Debt Collection and Arbitration Resources for Pro Se and Pro Bono Cases — And a Thought on Why Advocacy and Access are Important for the Health of the Economy

Posted on January 28, 2011 by richardzorza

Important online training on Debt Collection and Arbitration Resources for Pro Se and Pro Bono Cases. The listing explains it perfectly: Under a Technology Initiative Grant from LSC, Atlanta Legal Aid Society, in consultation with The National Consumer Law Center, … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Foreclosure, Pro Bono, Self-Help Services | 1 Comment

Report on LEP Technology and Online Library on Language Access

Posted on January 27, 2011 by richardzorza

Information on this has been quite widely spread, but I thought it important enough to note. This is a new Report on uses of technology to aid LEP access generally.  It is called:  COMMUNICATING MORE FOR LESS: Using Translation and … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally | 2 Comments

Wonderful Example of Visualization — Graphic Displays of Data — Ideas for ATJ

Posted on January 26, 2011 by richardzorza

This is a five minute video from the BBC, demonstrating visualization of health and wealth statistics from the last 200 years. Perhaps less important than the substantive message (progress and clear trends toward global equality) is the model of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally | 3 Comments

Impact of Electronic Health Records on Quality of Care — An Arguablely Cautionary Study

Posted on January 24, 2011 by richardzorza

A new study of the impact upon quality of outpatient medical care of electronic health records might cause some of us to be more careful about our expectations of the relationship between technology and quality of service – or at … Continue reading →

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Any Data on Actual Specific Impact on Access to Justice of Court Budget Cuts? Or of Legal Aid Cuts on Caseload? A Role for NAIP and/or a National Consortium?

Posted on January 22, 2011 by richardzorza

Someone I respect a lot asked me yesterday if there was any data on actual (rather than potential) impact on access to justice of budget cuts in the courts.  By that he meant delay in getting a protective order, failure … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally | Comments Off on Any Data on Actual Specific Impact on Access to Justice of Court Budget Cuts? Or of Legal Aid Cuts on Caseload? A Role for NAIP and/or a National Consortium?

US Brief in Civil Gideon Child Support Contempt Case — Interesting Position

Posted on January 19, 2011 by richardzorza

The US Justice Department has filed an amicus brief in a civil Gideon case, albeit one dealing with a risk of incarceration, supporting reversal.  The case comes out of South Carolina, and involves one put in civil contempt for failing … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Counsel, Access to Justice Generally, Forms, Judicial Ethics, Self-Help Services, Supreme Court | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Maryland Access to Justice Commission Civil Right to Counsel Implementation Analysis includes Mixed Model and Cost Estimate

Posted on January 18, 2011 by richardzorza

Good for the Maryland Access to Justice Commission! Their very interesting and innovative Implementing a Civil Right to Counsel in Maryland has several important features worthy of emulation. First, it proposes a “mixed model,” which means that services would be … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Counsel, Access to Justice Boards, Access to Justice Generally, Funding, Middle Income | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Maryland Access to Justice Commission Civil Right to Counsel Implementation Analysis includes Mixed Model and Cost Estimate

Law School Debt and Employment Conundrum — Non-Standard Responses

Posted on January 9, 2011 by richardzorza

Lots of people (if you know any non-lawyers who read the New York Times) are going to be asking you about the Times article today, Is Law School A Losing Game?. The main points in the article are the high … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Law Schools, Middle Income | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Learning Financial Literacy In College — What About the Non-College Bound? A TIG Idea?

Posted on January 8, 2011 by richardzorza

Nice article in the NYT about college in Vermont teaching financial literacy. Since it is so needed today, what can we do to ensure that the most vulnerable get this kind of education too? Is there a role for courts, … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally | 3 Comments

Important State Supreme Court (Mass) Decision on Pooled Mortgage Foreclosures — Reflections on the Long Term Impact of Failures in the Access to Justice System

Posted on January 7, 2011 by richardzorza

Bloomberg, the Washington Post, and others, are reporting an important State Supreme Court case on foreclosures by financial institutions that claim to own interests in pooled mortgages.  The Financial Times has a good explanation and backgrounder. Here is the decision. … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Foreclosure | Tagged | Comments Off on Important State Supreme Court (Mass) Decision on Pooled Mortgage Foreclosures — Reflections on the Long Term Impact of Failures in the Access to Justice System

National Center for State Courts Solitics Suggestions for Sessions for Court Technology Confernce

Posted on January 7, 2011 by richardzorza

As you probably know, the NCSC’s Court Technology Conference, held every two years, is a major even of great utility to those interested in the interaction of access to justice and technology.  The next one, is called CTC 2011 will … Continue reading →

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