SRLN 2024

This session will explore the objectives, key strategies, and initial outcomes of two unique partnerships between academic institutions and the Utah courts. Both grounded their work in the litigant experience -- one from a user-centered perspective and one using a procedural justice framework. Panelists will share specific insights about forming and supporting academic partnerships like these, aligning goals and workflows, and maximizing the utility of project insights.

Materials:
- "Litigant empowerment through choice?"
- "Court Voices Project: Using Court User Feedback to Guide Courts' Pandemic Responses"
- Short animated video: "A Case for Getting Feedback"

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The Utah Bar Foundation embarked on a data research project, supported by The Pew Charitable Trusts, to examine eviction and debt collection case filings in the Utah State Courts. We compared case outcomes for defendants referred to a dedicated eviction/debt collection calendar and given pro bono assistance versus those that didn't. The goal - make recommendations that improve case outcomes for all parties (courts, defendants, plaintiffs, lenders). Come hear about the lessons learned and the recommendations made to the Utah State Courts and the Utah State Legislature as some unsettling trends were discovered through this data research.

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Since its inception in 2007, the LOVS family law firm has been at the forefront of the mission to provide meaningful access to justice to unrepresented parties in Utah. Over a decade ago, with Joanna Sagers and Stewart Ralphs, LOVS’ Virginia Sudbury created the innovative and wildly successful Pro Se Calendar.

Given its lengthy history of providing tangible Limited Scope services to Pro Se parties, LOVS will present a “roadmap” on how those services can be expanded and integrated into the Pro Se Calendar. It will also provide suggestions on how to institute a Pro Se Calendar in other jurisdictions, coaching pro se parties through hearings and Informal Trials, and how to best assist pro se parties in utilizing (and navigating) existent court-based, online programs (called OCAP, in Utah).

As part of this panel presentation, LOVS will also highlight the role of paralegals (including Licensed Paralegal Practitioners) in providing assistance and resources to pro se parties.

An applicable process for establishing a pro se calendar, checklists for pro se parties, and how to provide coaching to pro se parties for hearings and informal trials.

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How can we break down silos and build resources and community between organizations committed to access to justice? Dive into the transformative impact of legal aid-justice tech collaboration that benefits justice-impacted communities, LSOs, and mission-focused founders. This session will explore the potential of ethical tech advancements to revolutionize the access to justice landscape, unlocking new levels of accessibility for clients and increased justice equity. Panelists will share examples of partnership projects and seek feedback in a workshop-style discussion about (i) a resource for LSOs to identify trusted tech platforms for potential partnerships/referrals; (ii) two research studies on justice tech; and (iii) early work of a subcommittee focused on justice tech and legal aid innovation.

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It is crucial for courts to listen to the communities they serve to ensure that their practices and procedures meet and respond to the needs, values, and experiences of people directly impacted by the legal system.  Gathering feedback and testing materials and processes with court users can feel overwhelming, frightening, and time-consuming. But user feedback and testing are critical to ensuring that our courts are fair and equitable and reflect the needs and experiences of the people who use them. Further, user testing with community members can help dispel fear they have of the courts, helps empower them, and promotes deeper trust in the court system. 

Incorporating court user experience and perspectives in an engaging manner will help courts and legal services organizations improve their communications, forms, and processes to increase access, particularly for SRLs and historically marginalized groups, and to implement changes based on it. User feedback and testing can be done simply and efficiently. This session will cover user feedback and testing basics, including how to build user feedback and testing into court and organization practices and when and how to use particular feedback methods, such as surveys and focus groups.

Presenters will also share strategies for gathering user feedback and performing user testing, including guidance on how to identify court users for testing or feedback, survey tools and questions, and focus group facilitation tips. Participants will discuss short and long-term ways they will incorporate what they learned during the session. This session will include panelists from Illinois, Michigan, and the National Center for State Courts that have effectively engaged in user feedback and testing to improve court remote hearing processes, court forms, and self-help materials.

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The panel will report on findings from a mixed-methods empirical study evaluating the impact of state-level reforms requiring additional documentation in debt collection cases. We will discuss findings from a three-state evaluation and a multistate quantitative analysis. We will propose solutions, including practical applications for better implementation of legislative and rules-based reforms in the courthouse to improve outcomes for self-represented consumer defendants.

More on our research including the studies we'll be talking about can be found here: https://www.debtcollectionlab.org/research.

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