Resource: WriteClearly.org Plain Language Library, Example Forms (WriteCleary)
The WriteClearly.org Plain Language Library was adapted by Transcend under a Legal Services Corporation Technology Innovation Grant (LSC TIG #9061). This resource provides a repository of example documents for a range of legal aid and court forms, including service agreements, retainer forms, small claims court forms, and more.
Document Author:
Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc., WriteClearly.org
Webinar: Website Content Tips (Bay Area Legal Services 2018)
This 2018 Webinar, supported by a Technology Initiative Grant from the Legal Services Corporation to Bay Area Legal Services, Inc., will focus on creating effective legal self-help content using plain language, SEO, and social media strategies. For more information see the conference webpage.
Year published:
2018
Document Author:
SRLN
Webinar: How to Incorporate Plain Language into Court Forms, Websites, and Other Materials (NACM 2017)
The National Association for Court Management (nacmnet.org), in partnership with the Self-represented Litigation Network (SRLN), invites you to participate in its third webinar of 2017 on November 29, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. EST.
Year published:
2017
Document Author:
Self-Represented Litigation Network
News: Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice Uses SRLN Maps for Statewide Strategic Planning (Illinois Supreme Court 2017)
The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice has started using the SRLN demographics maps for presentations to circuit clerks, circuit court judges, civil legal aid and pro bono practitioners. “The maps helped provide context for why access to justice is so necessary by broadening our scope of focus onto statewide demographics,” states Danielle Hirsch, Assistant Director of the Civil Justice Division of Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts.
Year published:
2017
Document Author:
Alison Davis-Holland
Book: Writing for Dollars, Writing to Please The Case for Plain Language in Business, Government, and Law (Kimble 2012)
This book collects the empirical evidence supporting the value of plain language in business, government, and law. Professor Kimble summarizes 50 studies (no less) that show using plain language can save organizations and agencies a significant amount of money. The studies also show that plain language serves and satisfies readers in every possible way. When information is in plain language, typical readers have an easier time understanding and following instructions.
Year published:
2012
Document Author:
Joseph Kimble
Report: Can Translation Software Help Legal Services Agencies Deliver Legal Information More Effectively in Foreign Languages and Plain English? (Hineline & Hogue 2013)
This report investigates the current and possible uses of translation tools, including fully-automated machine translation and a somewhat different translation technology, translation memory. Translation memory re-uses whole phrases that an expert has previously translated. We investigate the use of machine translation, translation memory management software, and other computer-assisted translation tools for legal information in the justice community context.
Year published:
2013
Document Author:
Anna Heinline, Jeff Hogue
Article: Improving Access to Justice: Plain Language Family Law Court Forms in Washington State (Dyer, Fairbanks, Greiner, Barron, Skreen, Cerrillo-Ramirez, Lee, Hinsee 2013)
From the Abstract:
Year published:
2013
Document Author:
Charles R. Dyer, Joan E. Fairbanks, M. Lynn Greiner, Kirsten Barron, Janet L. Skreen, Josefina Cerrillo-Ramirez, Andrew Lee, Bill Hinsee
Weblinks: Efficiencies and Innovation in California (Judicial Branch of California 2015)
On its webpage entitled, Efficiencies & Innovations (courts.ca.gov), the The California judicial branch, which is widely acknowledged as a national leader in developing and implementing programs that enhance access to justice, provides information and links to numerous initiatives have been implemented statewide and at individual trial courts to ensure that public service is delivered effectively and efficiently for the benefit of court users.
Year published:
2015
Document Author:
Judicial Branch of California
Weblinks: Simplification in Singapore (State Court of Singapore 2015)
Transparent information that seeks user feedback from the State Courts of Singapore about what a simplified court process means for SRLs in criminal, SRLs in civil, lawyers and others that can be found on the Singapore State Court's Key Features of the Simplified Process page (statecourts.gov.sg).
Year published:
2015
Document Author:
State Court of Singapore
SRLN Brief: Plain Language Examples from the Community (SRLN 2015)
This page contains sample Plain Language materials which are available for download.
Sample Plain Language Materials:
Year published:
2015
Document Author:
Self-Represented Litigation Network