Category Archives: Access to Justice Generally

Marc Lauritsen Guest Post on Thinking of Legal Help System as an Ecosystem

Posted on July 3, 2017 by richardzorza

Editor note:  This is a fascinating approach. Legal Knowledge Gardening and Civil Justice Engineering Marc Lauritsen At a recent Justice for All event in Massachusetts I suggested that we consider our sprawl of legal help services as an ecosystem. That … Continue reading →

Posted in 100% Access Strategy and Campaign, Access to Justice Generally, Guest Bloggers, Science, Systematic Change | Comments Off on Marc Lauritsen Guest Post on Thinking of Legal Help System as an Ecosystem

Illinois Strategic Plan Combines Principles, Initiatives, and Success Measures

Posted on July 2, 2017 by richardzorza

The superb new strategic plan from the Illinois Access to Justice Commission is a model in may ways.  I want, however, to emphasize one, its structure.  This approach gives them, and us, a strong and effective document that will serve … Continue reading →

Posted in 100% Access Strategy and Campaign, Access to Justice Boards, Access to Justice Generally, Communications Strategy, Court Management, Outcome Measures, Plain Language, Planning, Research and Evalation, Rules Reform, Self-Help Services, Simplification | Comments Off on Illinois Strategic Plan Combines Principles, Initiatives, and Success Measures

Contribute to a UK Survey of Law Schools and Access and Technology

Posted on June 29, 2017 by richardzorza

Richard Moorhead, a longtime UK and international expert on legal aid, innovation, and technology, is gathering information on the role of law schools in spreading these ideas. As Richard puts it: So I am asking you, if you are in … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Bar Associations, De-Regulation, International Cooperation, International Models, Systematic Change, Technology | Comments Off on Contribute to a UK Survey of Law Schools and Access and Technology

Tribute to Judge Fern Fisher On Her Retirement From The New York Courts

Posted on June 24, 2017 by richardzorza

Judge Fern Fisher of New York has been a stalwart of the national access to justice movement.  See here. for how frequently she has appeared in this blog. So her retirement from the courts is a sad moment. Based on … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Incubators, Transitions | Comments Off on Tribute to Judge Fern Fisher On Her Retirement From The New York Courts

Video of Mary McClymont on Importance of Justice For All Innovations For Every Substantive Issue

Posted on June 7, 2017 by richardzorza

Recently, I blogged about Mary McClymont’s moving and wonderful speech when she got the Champion of Justice Award. Now, here is the video. Some of the key text: .  .  .  there is good news: the crisis has given rise … Continue reading →

Posted in 100% Access Strategy and Campaign, Access to Justice Boards, Access to Justice Generally, Bar Associations, Communications Strategy, Court Management, Funding, Law Schools, Legal Aid, Media, Political Support, Poverty, Public Education, Public Welfare Foundation, Self-Help Services, Social Workers, Systematic Change | Comments Off on Video of Mary McClymont on Importance of Justice For All Innovations For Every Substantive Issue

Mary McClymont’s Inspiring Clarion Call

Posted on May 17, 2017 by richardzorza

Earlier today Mary McClymont, President of the Public Welfare Foundation, received the Champions for Justice Award from the Alliance for Justice. Here are her remarks.  I have bolded the first couple of paragraphs that focus on access to justice.  Martin … Continue reading →

Posted in 100% Access Strategy and Campaign, Access to Justice Generally | Comments Off on Mary McClymont’s Inspiring Clarion Call

Algorithm Bias and Algorithm-Based Bias Compensation

Posted on May 8, 2017 by richardzorza

As part of my series on algorithm bias, I want to offer what I think is a potentially revolutionary take on using algorithms not just to minimize, but actually to compensate for, bias and discrimination. The core idea is that … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Bias, Discrimination, Judicial Ethics, Metrics, Race | 1 Comment

Towards A Principles-Driven Approach to Algorithm-Based Decision-Making in the Justice System

Posted on May 1, 2017 by richardzorza

A very recent article by Adam Liptak in the New York Times draws attention to the actual practice in Wisconsin of using algorithm-driven predictions in sentencing, and to the pending attempt to otbain review of the practice by the US … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Criminal Law, Discrimination, Research and Evalation, Security, Technology, Transparency | 2 Comments

SRLN Announces Forms Competition

Posted on March 24, 2017 by richardzorza

The SRLN Forms & Technology Working Group is holding its first ever Civil Legal Problems Forms Contest.  There are two categories in the competition: Best Static Form Best Automated Form This is a great opportunity to be part of an … Continue reading →

Posted in 100% Access Strategy and Campaign, Access to Justice Generally, Document Assembly, Forms, SRLN | Comments Off on SRLN Announces Forms Competition

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

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

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