Specialized Environmental Courts & Tribunals Improved Access to Justice for Those Living in Poverty? by George (Rock) Pring & Catherine (Kitty) Pring A University of Denver Study

A study-in-progress to determine if and how specialized ECTs improve: Access to information Access to public participation Access to justice The Goal: Provide practical guidance for jurisdictions considering creating a specialized ECT

Methodology A global, comparative “Law & Society” research project Literature review Site visits to 35 ECTs in 21 countries Over 100 personal interviews

Why Jurisdictions create ECTs Findings Why Jurisdictions create ECTs Efficiency Economy Expertise Access to Justice Case Processing Commitment Flexible Solutions Public Participation Public Confidence

The 12 Basic Elements (“Building Blocks of Best Practices”) Type of body Legal Jurisdiction Level of Review Geographic Coverage Case Volume Standing Specialized Prosecutors Expert Evidence Enforcement Tools ADR Judicial Expertise Operational Tools

The elements improving Access to Justice for those living in poverty Standing Special Prosecutors Expert Evidence ADR Operational Tools Case management Traveling courts Simplified Rules of Procedure Reduced Court Costs

Conclusion ECTs enhance access to environmental justice for those living in poverty by INCREASING ACCESS Legal access Physical access Affordability access ADR access Simplicity of access Access to information Access to expert judges Contact information: rpring@law.du.edu