Self-Represented Assistance Technology Selfhelpsupport.org Webinar April 24, 2006 Presenters: Allison McDermott, Dan Rieken, Katherine Bladow

Self-Represented Assistance Technology Roadmap  Intro and polls  Types of technology and model programs  Example: Illinois  Example: Montana  Where do you start?  Going forward  Questions/Discussion

Self-Represented Assistance Technology Take a Poll Are your self-help programs currently using technology? Which of the following types of technology are you using? Computer terminals, Kiosks, Website(s), Hotline/Phone, Form Preparation, Informational videos, Video conferencing, Internet Chat, , Other

Self-Represented Assistance Technology Why Technology?  Meet the unmet need  Efficient, on both costs and numbers in need  Improve legal literacy and expectations of just outcomes  Increase productivity and effectiveness of lawyers

Self-Represented Assistance Technology Types of Technology  Public-access computer terminals  Websites  Document Assembly/Form Preparation  Telephone/Hotlines  Video (tapes and conferencing)  Kiosks  Internet Chat  Other

Self-Represented Assistance Technology Public Access Computers  Provides access to computers for those without other means  Can be coupled with staff or phones to provide additional service  Serves as the access point to other types of technology Model Program: AARP Self-Help Office lce_outreach.html

Self-Represented Assistance Technology Websites  Cost-efficient means of providing answers to frequently- asked legal questions to the public 24/7  Provide a variety of helpful resources and referrals  Statewide web portals exist in all states, and many courts now have rich sites as well  Used to deliver/enhance other technology tools as well Model Program: Contra Costa Virtual Self Help Law Center

Self-Represented Assistance Technology Document Assembly  Can create many documents, from simple letters to court forms and pleadings  Provides efficient way to ensure court filings are properly filled out  E-filing as obvious next step Model Program: Idaho Pro Se Project (project to launch in 5/06)

Self-Represented Assistance Technology Telephone Help/Hotlines Model Program: Alaska Family Law Self-Help Center  Many types of service possible: referrals, legal education, intake, legal advice, brief service,  Offer services to broad geographic area, saving caller travel time  Ability to respond to emergencies  Potential technology to allow easy access 24/7 to common legal questions through recorded answers

Self-Represented Assistance Technology Video Conferencing  Already used in court cases to save time and money (prisoner transport, attorney appearance)  Offer remote clinics and workshops to multiple locations  Improve effectiveness of clinics and workshops through distant attorney supervision Model Program: California Courts

Self-Represented Assistance Technology Kiosks Model Program: ICAN  Help with court navigation, general legal and referral information, and forms preparation  Evaluations show that most effective and utilized when dedicated staff available to help users  More and more kiosks are evolving into computer terminals with Internet access

Self-Represented Assistance Technology Internet Chat Model Program: ASKNow Law Librarian Service  Co-browse website to provide immediate navigation assistance to find helpful resources (LiveHelp)  Answer legal questions through chat (LiveJustice)  Tied to telephone provides powerful back-up

Self-Represented Assistance Technology Other  hotlinewww.womenslaw.org  Interactive assessment tools for diagnosis and triage - Maryland:  Personal web spaces - SRLs log-in to ask questions and log back in later to receive answers

Self-Represented Assistance Technology Existing Program Models Technology integrates into the existing service delivery models for self-help programs… - court-based programs - neighborhood-based programs - mobile office programs … And allows us to create new models too - telephone/web-based programs - virtual support and chat programs

Self-Represented Assistance Technology Self-Help Technology in Illinois Illinois Legal Aid Online, a nonprofit legal technology organization for the Illinois access to justice community, serves as the spine of many technology initiatives in self-help programs in Illinois.

Self-Represented Assistance Technology IL Federal Self-Help Desk  On January 5, 2006, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago opened the first ever federal court self-help advice desk  Partners include Illinois Legal Aid Online, Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and The Chicago Bar Foundation  Legal aid attorney staffs desk each weekday from 9am-2pm  Typical cases include employment discrimination and civil rights cases, but may include any case filed in federal court

Self-Represented Assistance Technology IL Federal Self-Help Desk  Desk uses online automated forms and instructions for the documents that pro se litigants may need to file in their cases  In addition, public access computers were made available in the federal courthouse as well Example: Filing a Civil Case in Federal Court without an Attorney me.dsp_content&contentid=4639

Self-Represented Assistance Technology

Self-Represented Assistance Technology Self-Help Technology in Montana  The large size of eastern Montana, low population density, high poverty rate, and shortage of both private and legal services attorneys (76 private and 1 legal services attorney serving an area the size of NH, VT, MA, RI, CT, NJ, and MD combined) means that low-income residents of the region have virtually no access to the civil justice system.  Montana Legal Services Association’s Self-Help Law Project helps people find the legal information and advice they need to make their own legal decisions and, in some cases, represent themselves in court.  Uses different types of technology in its programs

Self-Represented Assistance Technology ICAN E-file

Self-Represented Assistance Technology MontanaLawHelp.org and LiveHelp

Self-Represented Assistance Technology Video Conferencing How-to Classes  Approximately every three months, the Montana Self-Help Law Project holds classes for qualifying individuals on how to prepare and file your own uncontested divorce and/or parenting plan.  The classes are, for the most part, presented via video conferencing and are typically held in ten counties across the state.

Self-Represented Assistance Technology HotDocs Download forms to… … fill out and print online

Self-Represented Assistance Technology Tying It All Together

Self-Represented Assistance Technology Where do you start?  Assess needs and capacity  Leadership and collaboration  Leverage existing resources, local and national  Plan stages  Funding

Self-Represented Assistance Technology Going forward  Evaluate! March 2005 California evaluation report has two main points about technology: - can overcome geographic, transportation and funding barriers, and - in-person support is key to success.  Must create and maintain quality content  Continue experiment and testing of multimedia content  Expand triage/assessment tools  Expand online document assembly and e-filing