EFFECTIVE & EFFICIENT USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN TOUGH TIMES Tammy L. Grimm, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Inyo Peggy Hill, Family Law Facilitator, Superior Court of California, County of Monterey Harry Jacobs, Senior Attorney, Administrative Office of the Courts Jean Moran, Court Program Coordinator, Self Help Assistance and Referral Program Superior Court of California, Counties of Butte, Glenn, and Tehama Lollie Roberts, Family Law Facilitator, Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento Bill Tanner, Directing Attorney, Legal Aid Society of Orange County Terry Whipple, Family Law Facilitator/Self Help Attorney, Superior Court of California, County of Yuba

To access EZ Legal go directly to their website: If you are registered with this site, click Login the right-hand side of your screen. Otherwise, click on the topic that applies to your situation to begin.Login

Select the county from the drop down menu where you plan to file your paperwork. The court location(s) will automatically populate for you to select. If you have not previously registered with this site, click on Register to create a Username and Password. *This is a required step. Once you’ve completed the registration process, review the brief introduction.

Answer the following questions as they apply to your situation. Click next after you have completed each page. Review your answers.

I-CAN! Legal Forms Preparation Software Legal Forms Preparation Software Web Based-English, Vietnamese, Spanish Web Based-English, Vietnamese, Spanish > 100,000 modules completed > 100,000 modules completed Family, Small Claims, Evictions, DV, Civil Harass Family, Small Claims, Evictions, DV, Civil Harass E-file Small Claims forms in OC (CCMS June) E-file Small Claims forms in OC (CCMS June) Tax Tax $136,000,000 returned $136,000,000 returned 80,000 e-filings in 3 months 80,000 e-filings in 3 months

I-CAN! William T. Tanner Legal Aid Society of Orange County

Technology at Los Angeles Self-Help Centers

LawHelp Interactive Logos and GraphicsBasics Collaboration of ProBonoNet, LSC, SJI, and Capsoft ProbonoNet provides: – day-to-day management – Operates web server. – Provides training and support. In use in 28 states. We pay a small fee to use the service.

Isn’t LHI the same as EzLegalFile and ICAN!?  TurboTax  Sacramento Efiling  Los Angeles Efiling  Commercial products (e.g., Adobe LifeCycle)

How Are LHI Programs from Different EzLegalFile and ICAN!? Programs are designed for use by non-lawyers as part of SHC workshops and clinics. – Workshop Series (e.g., Dissolution and Parentage) – Clinics (e.g., Domestic Violence and Guardianship) Programs are NOT designed for litigants to use away from the self-help center.

What is the Reasoning Behind This Approach? There are some things that computers do well and some things that lawyers and staff do well. – Computers: Remembering (e.g., asks a question only once) Applying rules consistently Creating beautiful paperwork – People Triage Teaching and communicating Assisting with declarations

Is This Approach Effective? Yes, more people can helped at a high level of service. Workshops: – Example: Disso WS: 12 litigants in 3 hours. – Reduces overall workshop time (15 minutes on the computer saves hours in the workshops.) – Changes Use of Workshop Time : Individual triage of each litigant and review of papers. Focus on teaching key concepts (e.g., parent plans, property).

Is This Approach Effective? (Con’t) Clinics – Example: DV Clinic: 36 litigants in 3 hours. – Greatly reduces reviewing attorney’s time -- making it possible to serve many more litigants. – Opens opportunities for Pro Bono attorney and shelter Advocates participate. – Allows Volunteers to: Focus on declaration. Complete child support paperwork.

How Can You Do this? Workshops: Lawyer forms programs (e.g., Essential Forms, ProDocs, HotDocs) Our LHI license covers the entire branch and allows us to serve litigants of all income levels and with all case types. – You can create your own programs and post them on LHI.

EFFECTIVE & EFFICIENT USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN TOUGH TIMES -- Jean Moran -- Court Program Coordinator Self-Help Assistance and Referral Program (SHARP) Counties of Butte, Glenn and Tehama Thursday, April 29, 2010

SHARP: a Tri County Collaborative Butte, Glenn, & Tehama Superior Court COLLABORATION: PARTNERED & POOLED RESOURCES POLYCOM (videoconferencing) LINK Realizes efficiencies: SRL equal access to the court through workshops, appointments & walk-ins Staff access to real time interactive communication/problem solving Managing Attorney supervises 4 sites, supporting 3 counties

Self Represented Litigants Rural Area Issues Excessive calls to Court Clerks Repeat filings due to incomplete forms Pro bono EXTREMELY limited in rural area Self-Represented Litigant Challenges Lack of money/financial resources Lack of and/or unreliable transportation Lack understanding of procedures, process, forms Lack of knowledge regarding public resources and the court system

SUCCESSFUL SOLUTION: POLYCOM SHARP one of five AOC pilot self-help centers funded by the State Budget Act Rural Area Solutions Central sites in expansive, remote geographic areas Accessible resource for all socio- economic rural litigants SRLs increased confidence noted by bench officers…equal access to justice POLYCOM came to define SHARP

Results: NATIONAL RECOGNITION Kleps Award Recipients in 2005 for video conference technology permitting Pro Per litigants Access to Justice NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR COURT MANAGEMENT 2008 JUSTICE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: The Justice Achievement Award was established in 1988 to recognize outstanding achievement and meritorious projects that enhance the administration of justice.

Effective and Efficient Use of Technology in Tough Times: Lollie A. Roberts Supervising Family Law Facilitator Examples from Sacramento Superior Court

Technology for Self-Represented Litigants  EZ Legal File  Self Help Instructions on the web  Fillable Form Sets in Self Help Workshops  Small Claims e-Filing/Kiosk  E-Correspondence

EZ Legal File  Little or no legal knowledge required  Customers answer questions in plain language  Program generates required forms  Accessible 24/7  Web-based—can be accessed from anywhere  Creating an account allows SRLs to save forms for modifying or re-printing

Self Help Instructions on the Web  Used in conjunction with e- Correspondence  Direct links to relevant forms  24 hour Availability  Saves cost of printing and copying  Empowers SRLs  resources.aspx resources.aspx

Fillable Form Sets  Thank you, Harry!  Used in conjunction with live workshops  Limited data entry required  Populates forms with most commonly recurring information  Reduces time spent hand-printing forms  Allows more staff time for answering questions and explaining filing and service

Small Claims e-Filing  Available on web or kiosk  All forms generated on-line  Saves SRLs time standing in line to file  Saves staff time Fewer customers at filing counter Data entry into CMS occurs automatically  Fees collected electronically

e-Correspondence  Intuitive customer interface  Web-based for 24/7 access  Protects Security & Confidentiality  Efficient Use of Staff Resources

e-Correspondence: Background  2001: Returning Long Distance Phone Calls  2002: Account for Non-Local SRLs  2007: Proposed New System to Handle Increased Volume from Local SRLs  2010: e-Correspondence!

Funding Technology Projects…. “Men have become the tools of their tools.” Henry David Thoreau For Courts, Jerry Maguire– “Show Us the Money” to fund these innovative projects in today’s economy

Polycom 7-Step Grant Assistance Process Provides assistance in proposal preparation, funding selection, and submission of grant applications to implement voice, video and data communications. Grants frequently awarded to law enforcement and courts nationwide Step One: complete an on-line assistance request form; assigned a Project Manager to talk through what you are requesting/desiring.

Grant Assistance Program – Get a Plan…Get a Grant…Get Connected! Web info and program enrollment: Elizabeth Holden Director, Grant Assistance Program Polycom Inc

STATE JUSTICE INSTITUTE “to improve the quality of justice in State Courts… and foster innovative, efficient solutions to common issues faced by all courts. To fulfill this mission, SJI awards grants that benefit the nation’s judicial system and the public it serves.” Types of Grants Available- Quarterly deadlines Project Grants Technical Assistance Grants Curriculum Adaptation and Training Grants Scholarships

California Bar Foundation Grants funded at $5000-$25,000 Due each October (annually awarded for one or two year cycle) Priority areas: – Rural – Language access – Diversity – Projects supporting collaborations with other community organizations – Projects supporting diverse, low-income, or under- represented communities.