MLSA Document Assembly Project Montana Family Law Forms Received a 2003 TIG to automate Montanas Family Law Forms (initially anticipated project would take one year). Received a 2003 TIG to automate Montanas Family Law Forms (initially anticipated project would take one year). Purpose: Automate Montana Dissolution of Marriage forms and Parenting Plan Action forms. Purpose: Automate Montana Dissolution of Marriage forms and Parenting Plan Action forms.

Main Goals Client completes only one interview and all forms needed for family law action are produced Client completes only one interview and all forms needed for family law action are produced Make forms available to the public on MontanaLawHelp.org Make forms available to the public on MontanaLawHelp.org

Where are we in 2007? Using forms in connection with our new Statewide Self-Help Law Project Using forms in connection with our new Statewide Self-Help Law Project Forms are not available to the public Forms are not available to the public Working with Capstone, Lexis/Nexis and ProBono.Net to make decisions regarding how to proceed with revising the forms to be more user friendly Working with Capstone, Lexis/Nexis and ProBono.Net to make decisions regarding how to proceed with revising the forms to be more user friendly Have developed model evaluation tools for MLSA Document Assembly Projects Have developed model evaluation tools for MLSA Document Assembly Projects

When using the online server, complex user interfaces can take a long, long time to process, which greatly reduces the usability. When using the online server, complex user interfaces can take a long, long time to process, which greatly reduces the usability. Staffing Model – Used consultant to program forms, internal project manager with technical skills to test and implement minor changes and attorney to draft help screens. Staffing Model – Used consultant to program forms, internal project manager with technical skills to test and implement minor changes and attorney to draft help screens. You MUST dedicate enough internal staff time to draft the help screens and test the consultants work for the project to be successful. You MUST dedicate enough internal staff time to draft the help screens and test the consultants work for the project to be successful. Lessons Learned

Waiting for recommendations from partners to fix problems Waiting for recommendations from partners to fix problems Apply A2J interface to see if addresses some of the usability issues Apply A2J interface to see if addresses some of the usability issues Need to complete Montana Parenting Plan Modification forms and Order of Protections forms Need to complete Montana Parenting Plan Modification forms and Order of Protections forms –Have been programmed using VAWA grant money, but difficulty dedicating the staff time to complete the pro se help screens and test the forms (not planned into original project) Plans for the Future

Still committed to the technology and its benefits for Montanas remote rural population.

New Projects Received a 2007 TIG Grant to automate other (shorter) forms Received a 2007 TIG Grant to automate other (shorter) forms –Replicating other states work –Using Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Attorney to staff project

Future Plans Received a grant from the ABA Partnerships in Law and Aging Program to automate Will and Power of Attorney forms. Received a grant from the ABA Partnerships in Law and Aging Program to automate Will and Power of Attorney forms. –Using Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Attorney to develop and implement project –Focusing on developing a form for Indian Wills that comply with AIPRA

Contact Information Alison L. Paul Deputy Director MLSA 616 Helena Ave. Suite 100 Helena, MT x. 15 Kate Bladow Tech. Proj. Coordinator MLSA (406)