Category Archives: Self-Help Services

Jim Greiner Asks For Help with SRL Courtroom Scripts

Posted on January 12, 2013 by richardzorza

Harvard’s Jim Greiner, randomized study guru, asks for help identifying model self-represented litigant courtroom scripts. Specifically, he is working on a project in which litigants would be given written scripts that they could use orally in court to help them … Continue reading →

Posted in Judicial Ethics, Research and Evalation, Self-Help Services | 4 Comments

Funded Technical Assistance on Access Availalbe to Courts from NCSC Center on Court Acces for All

Posted on January 11, 2013 by richardzorza

Funded technical assistance on access to justice is now available to Courts from the NCSC Center on Court Acces for All.  This resource could be very helpful.  Here is the website  for  the assistance program. The forms this assistance might … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Court Management, Funding, Self-Help Services | 2 Comments

New Access Brief

Posted on January 4, 2013 by richardzorza

The Center on Court Access to Justice for All, with which I am affiliated, has just released its second Access Brief, on Forms and Document assembly. Given that this Brief has the imprimatur of the National Center for State Courts, … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Management, Document Assembly, Forms, Self-Help Services | Comments Off on New Access Brief

Center for Court Access to Justice for All Issues First Accss Brief on Self-Help Services

Posted on November 13, 2012 by richardzorza

This Brief is the first of a series of Access Briefs, developed by the National Center for State Court’s new Center for Court Access to Justice for All. The Brief, like those to follow, is a short summary of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Management, Self-Help Services | Comments Off on Center for Court Access to Justice for All Issues First Accss Brief on Self-Help Services

Self-Represented Litigation Network Plans Equal Justice Conference Pre-Conference

Posted on October 21, 2012 by richardzorza

Once again this coming year, the Self-Represented Litigation Network will be hosting a pre-conference in association with the NLADA/ABA Equal Justice Conference.  The pre-conference will be May 8, 2013, and the main conference will be May 9-11.  As usual, there … Continue reading →

Posted in Meetings, Self-Help Services | 5 Comments

What Happens When a Federal Court Pays Attention to the Self-Represented — the Central District of California Bankruptcy Court Is A Model for Us All

Posted on October 18, 2012 by richardzorza

The Central District of California Bankruptcy Court has released its report on the self-represented. Self-represented, or pro se, litigants comprise over one quarter of the debtors filing in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California. In early … Continue reading →

Posted in Bankruptcy, E-filing, Federal Courts, Self-Help Services | 2 Comments

Non-Lawyer Practice — Moving the New York Discussion Forward

Posted on October 9, 2012 by richardzorza

I blogged recently about testimony at the New York Access to Justice hearings about the potential of non-lawyer practice. I am now able to post the actual testimony that was briefly referenced in the Reuters story. Professor Gillian Hadfield of … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Legal Ethics, Pro Bono, Self-Help Services | 5 Comments

Advocacy at New York Hearing for Non-Lawyer Access Innovations

Posted on October 8, 2012 by richardzorza

This may be a straw in the wind. Reuters, in their report of the second of this year’s New York State hearings on Access to Justice included the following: But money alone will not solve the problem, according to testimony … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal Ethics, Self-Help Services | 5 Comments

Child Support Agencies’ Interest in Access to Justice

Posted on October 8, 2012 by richardzorza

Last week I attended the Western Interstate Child Support Enforcement Council Conference in Jackson Hole Wyoming.  I was part of a session on the implications of Turner v. Rogers. I talked to people from many states (Wyoming, California, and Colorado … Continue reading →

Posted in Funding, Self-Help Services | 2 Comments

A Big Step for Pro Se Forms — Supreme Court Access to Justice

Posted on September 28, 2012 by richardzorza

As reported by the ABA Journal and the AP (in Seattle Times here), on Tuesday, the Supreme Court granted cert in two self-represented cases.  And, as the ABA Journal detailed “One was written in longhand, in pencil, by an inmate … Continue reading →

Posted in Forms, Self-Help Services, Supreme Court | Comments Off on A Big Step for Pro Se Forms — Supreme Court Access to Justice

How Should We Define the Non-Advocacy Services Provided by Courts and Others — Canda Moves to Expand the Wording

Posted on September 16, 2012 by richardzorza

While there is broad agreement that there should be a clear verbal distinction between he adversarial/advocacy services provided by lawyers, and the neutral services provided by courts and others to assist litigants navigate the system, there is less complete agreement … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Management, Self-Help Services | Comments Off on How Should We Define the Non-Advocacy Services Provided by Courts and Others — Canda Moves to Expand the Wording

Claudia Johnson Guest Blogs on Information About LEP Services

Posted on September 1, 2012 by richardzorza

I (Claudia) recently hosted a webinar on technology to assist self represented litigants as part of the LSNTAP webinar series. In preparing for the webinar it was evident that videos and visual tools are one of the strongest emerging trends. … Continue reading →

Posted in LEP, Self-Help Services | Comments Off on Claudia Johnson Guest Blogs on Information About LEP Services

NCSC Launches New Court Access Center

Posted on August 30, 2012 by richardzorza

Here is the announcement: New Court Access Center The Center on Court Access to Justice for All (Access Center), an initiative of the National Center for State Courts (NCSC), helps judges and courts advance access to justice, especially for poor … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Court Management, Self-Help Services | Comments Off on NCSC Launches New Court Access Center

A Step Forward: New York Times Endorses Judicial Candidate Based on Experience with the Self-Represented

Posted on August 25, 2012 by richardzorza

Its nice to see, and good news for the self-represented, regardless of the merits (on which this blog is not here commenting).  The Gray Lady endorsing a judicial candidate based on experience dealing with the self-represented. CIVIL COURT, THE BRONX, … Continue reading →

Posted in Judicial Ethics, Self-Help Services | 1 Comment

Lessons from Launch of Michigan Self-Help Site

Posted on August 19, 2012 by richardzorza

Michigan has launched its self-help site, michiganlegalhelp.org. It is notable for its question-oriented menuing.  The top level menu is the traditional Family, Housing, etc, list, although it includes more cross cutting topics like Find a Lawyer, and Community Services.  But … Continue reading →

Posted in Self-Help Services, Technology | 1 Comment