Courts and legal services organizations are creating new resources to help people with legal issues navigate the justice system during the pandemic. To support legal professionals engaged in these initiatives, the National Association for Court Management (NACM) is re-releasing theNACM Plain Language Guide as a free downloadable PDF. NACM hopes that this comprehensive guide on how to …
Read MoreThe National Center for State Courts has released a new white paper for evaluating the cost/benefit of various strategies for expanding access to justice, with a particular focus on litigant portals and Online Dispute Resolution (ODR). The paper proposes more of an “engineering” approach by introducing an analytical tool for organizations working on closing the …
Read MoreThe Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program (COSSAP) was developed as part of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) legislation. COSSAP’s purpose is to provide financial and technical assistance to states, units of local government, and Indian tribal governments to develop, implement, or expand comprehensive efforts to identify, respond to, treat, and support …
Read MoreWith a new courthouse opening in Indianapolis in 2022, the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) is helping court officials unify paternity, domestic relations, probate, and juvenile court proceedings to create a more efficient and effective way to settle family-centered disputes. Unifying these proceedings, which often leads to better and faster outcomes for families, is …
Read MoreIn response to requests from state court policymakers for guidance, the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) and IAALS, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System, published a briefing paper titled, Preventing Whack-a-Mole Management of Consumer Debt Cases. The paper describes problems associated with consumer debt collection cases and the impact of promising reforms implemented in New York …
Read MoreThe National Judicial College (NJC) hosted a free webcast “The Judge’s Role in Responding to a Pandemic,” on March 19th. In light of the recent coronavirus outbreak, the NJC’s Question of the Month for March asked NJC alumni: “Do you feel adequately prepared to make judicial decisions involving the coronavirus or a similar public health …
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