While bar associations, law schools, international aid organizations, and others have played a significant role in addressing and raising awareness of access to justice issues, courts in recent years have taken matters into their own hands. For example, in the last several years, a number of state court systems across the US have created special access to justice commissions. See examples from Wyoming (established in 2008), Maryland (established in 2008), and Tennessee (established in 2009). The commissions take different forms, but in general they are composed of representatives from law firms and law schools, community groups, and corporations who develop policies and programs for the courts around issues such as language and cultural barriers and access issues for self represented litigants. Pro bono has been a prominent topic in the work of these commissions. Indeed, the Tennessee Supreme Court has plans for a statewide pro bono summit next year to discuss pro bono issues, preview available technology, and seek input on the development of a statewide pro bono referral system. We can stay tuned for other state court systems to follow.
Posted by
Patrice Dziire
IBA Pro bono and Access to Justice Committee
Showing posts with label courts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label courts. Show all posts
Tuesday, 31 August 2010
Friday, 13 November 2009
Dubai International Financial Centre Pro Bono
The following has just appeared on the news wires: The new pro bono system in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts -- the DIFC's independent, common law judicial system tribunal and the first of its kind in the Middle East -- will be tested for the first time shortly in an employment case.
After a period of public consultation, the guidelines for the DIFC's pro bono programme took effect last month and the scheme immediately attracted interest from the legal community with seven law firms having already registered their voluntary services. To date, five pro bono litigant applications have been filed at the DIFC Courts. The first pro bono case will be heard in the Court of First Instance, most likely before the end of the year.
The IBA Pro Bono and Access to Justice Committee were consulted on the preparation of the guidelines and were pleased to be able to contribute to the establishment of this new venture. Very few similar systems have been introduced across the globe (the US Immigration Court system has one, as does the US Tax Court, and we would welcome news of any others) and it will be interesting to see, therefore, how it develops. Perhaps it will also provide a boost to the provision of pro bono elsewhere in the Emirates, the GCC and the Middle East as a whole?
Posted by
IBA Pro bono and Access to Justice Committee
After a period of public consultation, the guidelines for the DIFC's pro bono programme took effect last month and the scheme immediately attracted interest from the legal community with seven law firms having already registered their voluntary services. To date, five pro bono litigant applications have been filed at the DIFC Courts. The first pro bono case will be heard in the Court of First Instance, most likely before the end of the year.
The IBA Pro Bono and Access to Justice Committee were consulted on the preparation of the guidelines and were pleased to be able to contribute to the establishment of this new venture. Very few similar systems have been introduced across the globe (the US Immigration Court system has one, as does the US Tax Court, and we would welcome news of any others) and it will be interesting to see, therefore, how it develops. Perhaps it will also provide a boost to the provision of pro bono elsewhere in the Emirates, the GCC and the Middle East as a whole?
Posted by
IBA Pro bono and Access to Justice Committee
Monday, 1 June 2009
Opening the courthouse doors
Courts can facilitate access by litigants who do not have counsel, paid or pro bono. They might provide simplified procedures, translation services, and, as in the case of the U.S. Tax Court, videos on how a pro se litigant can proceed. The Court expects to start mailing DVDs of the video shortly to unrepresented taxpayers.
What other steps can courts take to accommodate unrepresented litigants? In what situations are these measures most appropriate? What are opposing counsel’s duties and concerns in such a case? Does it matter if opposing counsel represents the government?
Posted by Robin Westbrook
IBA Pro bono and Access to Justice Committee
What other steps can courts take to accommodate unrepresented litigants? In what situations are these measures most appropriate? What are opposing counsel’s duties and concerns in such a case? Does it matter if opposing counsel represents the government?
Posted by Robin Westbrook
IBA Pro bono and Access to Justice Committee
Wednesday, 15 April 2009
US Tax Court Judicial Conference, April 2009
The United States Tax Court held its annual Judicial Conference in Galloway, New Jersey, USA, in early April. Among many other things, the conference embodied a very well-crafted and productive effort to highlight access to justice issues before a broad range of lawyers, some of whose daily work might not focus on those issues. The conference showed how a court can emphasize to everyone doing business there the importance of pro bono work. A large proportion of petitioners before the Tax Court appear pro se. Anyone with income can have a tax issue, and while the amount at issue may be small, the litigant’s need for adjudication may be great. Thus, the Tax Court very actively encourages pro bono representation, and the recent conference contributed to this overall effort.
The conference’s hosts were the Court’s Judges, of whom some 35 were in attendance, along with eight of their staff. Other participants included some 45 lawyers from the US Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) Office of Chief Counsel, whose members represent the government in the Tax Court, as well as one from the Department of Justice, which represents the government when tax issues arise in other fora. Some 150 lawyers from the private bar attended, ranging from members of global firms to lawyers with solo pro bono practices. The network of IRS-funded Low Income Taxpayer Clinics was well-represented.
The discussion topics addressed substantive and procedural matters touching on the full variety of issues brought to the court, such as the valuation of interests in family trusts, rules for discovery of electronic records, judicial deference to agency regulations, and more. Notably, there were repeated opportunities for discussion of pro bono work. One panel focused on various bar- and clinic-sponsored programs which enable members of the bar to represent low-income taxpayers on an occasional or regular basis. Another discussed procedural provisions governing the collection of tax amounts owed, typically of interest to low-income taxpayers. Several judges hosted a breakfast for representatives of low-income taxpayers for informal discussion. A DVD addressed to pro se litigants, showing how they can pursue their cases in court, was distributed to all attendees.
Thus, members of the Tax Court bar had many occasions to hear about access to justice for underserved segments of the population. The International Bar Association and its Pro Bono and Access to Justice Committee have the same goal for our sessions at the IBA Annual Conference this year. We plan to use this blog to share a wide variety of ideas about how we as lawyers can find ways to keep this goal in mind.
Posted by Robin Westbrook
IBA Pro bono and Access to Justice Committee
The conference’s hosts were the Court’s Judges, of whom some 35 were in attendance, along with eight of their staff. Other participants included some 45 lawyers from the US Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) Office of Chief Counsel, whose members represent the government in the Tax Court, as well as one from the Department of Justice, which represents the government when tax issues arise in other fora. Some 150 lawyers from the private bar attended, ranging from members of global firms to lawyers with solo pro bono practices. The network of IRS-funded Low Income Taxpayer Clinics was well-represented.
The discussion topics addressed substantive and procedural matters touching on the full variety of issues brought to the court, such as the valuation of interests in family trusts, rules for discovery of electronic records, judicial deference to agency regulations, and more. Notably, there were repeated opportunities for discussion of pro bono work. One panel focused on various bar- and clinic-sponsored programs which enable members of the bar to represent low-income taxpayers on an occasional or regular basis. Another discussed procedural provisions governing the collection of tax amounts owed, typically of interest to low-income taxpayers. Several judges hosted a breakfast for representatives of low-income taxpayers for informal discussion. A DVD addressed to pro se litigants, showing how they can pursue their cases in court, was distributed to all attendees.
Thus, members of the Tax Court bar had many occasions to hear about access to justice for underserved segments of the population. The International Bar Association and its Pro Bono and Access to Justice Committee have the same goal for our sessions at the IBA Annual Conference this year. We plan to use this blog to share a wide variety of ideas about how we as lawyers can find ways to keep this goal in mind.
Posted by Robin Westbrook
IBA Pro bono and Access to Justice Committee
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