Assisting Self-Represented Litigants:

Recent Technological Applications

Conference of Chief Justices andConference of State Court Administrators

July 31, 2002Rockport, Maine

Self Help Web PagesSelf Help Web Pages

Self Help Web PagesSelf Help Web Pages

On-line FormsDownloadablePrintable

PDFWordWordPerfect.html

California Self-Help Center 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

Statewide Self-Help WebsitesFunded by LSC Technology

Innovations Grants (TIG)Available or under

development in 40+ statesSimilar use of formats and

iconsRequires programs to

establish a stakeholder committee to determine substantive content

Permits content development from multiple sources

Pine Tree Legal Assistance Website

Pine Tree Legal Assistance Website

Interactive forms: family law, protection from abuse, protection from harassment, child support, small claims

Interactive Document Assembly

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 sitesExpand on case types

Expand on range of documents

LSC is adding this technology to all of its statewide websites

Multiple Media ApproachesMultiple Media ApproachesFeatures

Interactive touch-screen kiosk and Internet access

Audio and video components

Password protectionTelephone connection to

Help DeskApplications 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 ToolsSelf-Assessment Tools Help litigants determine the

advisability of proceeding without a lawyer

Focus onKnowledge 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?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 PractitionersResource Center

Self-Help PractitionersResource Center

Online clearinghouse of information on program design, implementation and operation

Current NewsUpcoming EventsInternet LibraryListserv

Collaborative effortAJS, California AOC, NCSC,

Probono.net, OSI, SJI, Zorza Associates