Assisting Self-Represented Litigants: Recent Technological Applications Conference of Chief Justices and Conference of State Court Administrators July 31, 2002 Rockport, Maine

Self Help Web Pages

 On-line Forms  Downloadable  Printable  PDF  Word  WordPerfect .html

California Self-Help Center  Over 900 web pages of information and materials  Organized topically by area of law  Written in “plain English”  Many materials available in other languages (Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese)

Statewide Self-Help Websites  Funded by LSC Technology Innovations Grants (TIG)  Available or under development in 40+ states  Similar use of formats and icons  Requires programs to establish a stakeholder committee to determine substantive content  Permits content development from multiple sources

Pine Tree Legal Assistance Website  Interactive forms: family law, protection from abuse, protection from harassment, child support, small claims

Interactive Document Assembly  Features of the Utah Online Court Assistance Program  Divorce and landlord/tenant applications  Progress tracking ability  Ability to save data online in password protected format  In development: lawyer review of documents  Other sites  Expand on case types  Expand on range of documents  LSC is adding this technology to all of its statewide websites

Multiple Media Approaches  Features  Interactive touch-screen kiosk and Internet access  Audio and video components  Password protection  Telephone connection to Help Desk  Applications for child support enforcement, paternity, small claims, DV, eviction, wage assignment, and fee waivers  I-CAN!  Developed by Legal Aid Society of Orange County (CA)  Collaborative funding by California AOC, LSC, and other state and local sources

Self-Assessment Tools  Help litigants determine the advisability of proceeding without a lawyer  Focus on  Knowledge about specific issues or problems that add complexity to otherwise routine cases  Personality traits, motivation, organizational skills, knowledge of basic legal concepts  Scoring measures indicate likelihood of success as a self- represented litigant  Links to legal referral services

Future Directions?  Internet prototype for conceptual design of a litigant-friendly court system  Expands document assembly applications with decision support tools  Features password protected, online case organization component  Incorporates negotiation skills training and online ADR Access to Justice (A2J) System

Self-Help Practitioners Resource Center  Online clearinghouse of information on program design, implementation and operation  Current News  Upcoming Events  Internet Library  Listserv  Collaborative effort  AJS, California AOC, NCSC, Probono.net, OSI, SJI, Zorza Associates