Category Archives: Self-Help Services

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

A Revolution on the Federal Judiciary About Treatment of Those Without Lawyers?

Posted on September 10, 2017 by richardzorza

An ABA Journal article, could open a whole front in access to justice: [Judge Posner] abruptly announced his retirement from the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, effective the next day. The reason is due to “difficulty” with his … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Federal Courts, Self-Help Services, Systematic Change | 2 Comments

Professional-Client Partnering Lessons

Posted on July 22, 2017 by richardzorza

Note: This is an access to just version of a recent post on my Patient Partnering Site. A recently published tool intended to be used by medical institutions to encourage their patients to think of themselves as members of a … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Attorney-Client, Bar Associations, Communications Strategy, Court Management, Defender Programs, Law Schools, Legal Aid, Legal Ethics, LSC, Medical System Comparision, Self-Help Services, Systematic Change, Usabilty | 1 Comment

Google Home May Help Us Understand the Definition of “Legal Advice,” and Therefore of What Activities Falls Under Regulatory Authority.

Posted on July 6, 2017 by richardzorza

This is sort of fun. We have been struggling now for over two decades to find the most useful and access-expanding ways of explaining when an interaction is the giving of information, not generally subject of regulation as the practice … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Artificial Intelligence, Child Support, Document Assembly, Family Law, Legal Ethics, Non-Lawyer Practice, Plain Language, Public Education, Remote Services, Self-Help Services, Systematic Change, Technology, Triage | 1 Comment

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

Opportunity To Suggest Improvements to Washington State Access to Justice Principles

Posted on June 20, 2017 by richardzorza

I was the consultant to the Washington State Access to Justice Principles back in the early days of this century. Now a process is underway to update and improve those principles, which were issued by the State Supreme Court in … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Boards, Remote Services, Research and Evalation, Science, Security, Self-Help Services, Simplification, Systematic Change, Technology, Triage, Usabilty | Comments Off on Opportunity To Suggest Improvements to Washington State Access to Justice Principles

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

Job Opportunity at Harvard Law Access to Justice Lab

Posted on May 28, 2017 by richardzorza

As many of you know, the Access to Justice Lab at Harvard Law School is an initiative to try to further evidence-based thinking within access to justice and court administration. It focuses on conducting randomized field experiments to find out … Continue reading →

Posted in Law Schools, Metrics, Outcome Measures, Research and Evalation, Self-Help Services | Comments Off on Job Opportunity at Harvard Law Access to Justice Lab

ICE Policy Insults Courts by Not Treating Them as “Sensitive Locations.” This Calls for Far More Forceful Response By National Access and Court Organizations.

Posted on April 3, 2017 by richardzorza

This from the ICE FAQ page says it all: Are courthouses sensitive locations? Courthouses do not fall under ICE or CBP’s policies concerning enforcement actions at or focused on sensitive locations. In other words, courts are not the kind of … Continue reading →

Posted in Constitution, Court Management, Immigration, Judicial Supremacy, Self-Help Services, White House | Comments Off on ICE Policy Insults Courts by Not Treating Them as “Sensitive Locations.” This Calls for Far More Forceful Response By National Access and Court Organizations.

Guest Blogger Claudia Johnson: What I’ve learned in the past 9 years of helping legal aid, courts, and other non-profits create online forms to promote Access for All

Posted on March 27, 2017 by richardzorza

What I’ve learned in the past 9 years of helping legal aid, courts, and other non-profits create online forms to promote Access for All Claudia C. Johnson* While working across the U.S. in supporting states and courts adapt online forms … Continue reading →

Posted in Document Assembly, Guest Bloggers, Self-Help Services, SRLN, Technology, Tools | 2 Comments

Wonderful Video on Self-Help Services Is a Tool to Ensure 100% Availability of this Key Service, and Introduces the Triage Concept

Posted on March 9, 2017 by richardzorza

The Justice of All Strategic Planning Guidance, issued last August, identifies a number of basic services which should be available to all if 100% access is to be provided.  Obviously one of the most critical is universally available self-help services. … Continue reading →

Posted in 100% Access Strategy and Campaign, Forms, Funding, Self-Help Services, Triage | 1 Comment

The New HHS Child Support Regs Will Increase Child Support Payments and Strengthen the Argument for Expanded Self-Help Services

Posted on December 21, 2016 by richardzorza

There is additional good news in the new HHS Child Support regs, which are to be effective Jan 19, 2017 (analysis and link to full text of regs here).  They will increase payments to custodial parents, and they also strengthen … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Debt Collction, Document Assembly, Family Law, Federal Agencies, Forms, Funding, Non-Lawyer Practice, Self-Help Services | Comments Off on The New HHS Child Support Regs Will Increase Child Support Payments and Strengthen the Argument for Expanded Self-Help Services

New HHS Rules Effective Jan 19, 2017 Include Very Good News About the Scope of Federal Reimbursement for Paternity and Child Support Establishment Expenditures For Self Help and Educational Services

Posted on December 20, 2016 by richardzorza

As I hope most of you know, two thirds of eligible state costs incurred for the establishment and enforcement of child support obligations are reimbursable by HHS.  There is no cap on the total amount, but expenditures must be pursuant … Continue reading →

Posted in Child Support, Court Management, Funding, Self-Help Services, SRLN, Technology | 1 Comment

The First “Roles Beyond Lawyers” Full Evaluation Report Moves Us to a Whole New Stage of Expanding the Use of Nonlawyers

Posted on December 14, 2016 by richardzorza

The Public Welfare Foundation,  American Bar Foundation and the National Center for State Courts have just released their report on the “Roles Beyond Lawyers” Navigators program in New York.  Its finding of positive impacts from all three of the pilot … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Non-Lawyer Practice, Research and Evalation, Rules Reform, Self-Help Services, Social Workers | 2 Comments

Timely and Powerful New Immigration Planning and Action Tool

Posted on December 8, 2016 by richardzorza

The Immigration Action Network and Pro Bono Net have just launched a major new online tool to help those facing immigration issues.  It is obviously overwhelmingly timely, as people we know, who working with us, or provide services to us … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Immigration, Self-Help Services, Technology | 1 Comment