effective & efficient use of technology in tough times tammy l. grimm, court executive officer,...
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EFFECTIVE & EFFICIENT USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN TOUGH TIMESTammy L. Grimm, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of InyoPeggy Hill, Family Law Facilitator, Superior Court of California, County of Monterey
Harry Jacobs, Senior Attorney, Administrative Office of the CourtsJean Moran, Court Program Coordinator, Self Help Assistance and Referral Program Superior
Court of California, Counties of Butte, Glenn, and TehamaLollie Roberts, Family Law Facilitator, Superior Court of California, County of
SacramentoBill Tanner, Directing Attorney, Legal Aid Society of Orange County
Terry Whipple, Family Law Facilitator/Self Help Attorney, Superior Court ofCalifornia, County of Yuba
To access EZ Legal go directly to their website: www.ezlegalfile.org
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.
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!I-CAN!
Legal Forms Preparation SoftwareLegal Forms Preparation Software Web Based-English, Vietnamese, SpanishWeb Based-English, Vietnamese, Spanish > 100,000 modules completed> 100,000 modules completed Family, Small Claims, Evictions, DV, Civil Family, Small Claims, Evictions, DV, Civil
HarassHarass E-file Small Claims forms in OC (CCMS June)E-file Small Claims forms in OC (CCMS June)
TaxTax $136,000,000 returned$136,000,000 returned 80,000 e-filings in 3 months80,000 e-filings in 3 months
I-CAN!I-CAN!
William T. TannerWilliam T. Tanner
Legal Aid Society of Orange CountyLegal Aid Society of Orange [email protected]
714-571-5204714-571-5204
Technology at Los Angeles Self-Help Centers
LawHelp Interactive
Logos and Graphics Basics
• 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. RobertsSupervising 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 www.saccourt.ca.gov/family/self-help-reso
urces.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: Email 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 ProcessProvides 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:• www.polycom.com/grants• Elizabeth Holden• Director, Grant Assistance Program
Polycom Inc.• 859-299-9976• [email protected]
STATE JUSTICE INSTITUTEwww.sji.gov
“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 deadlinesProject GrantsTechnical Assistance GrantsCurriculum Adaptation and Training GrantsScholarships
California Bar Foundationwww.calbarfoundation.org
• 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.