Open to the Public – 2024 How Law Libraries are Serving Self-Represented Litigants Across the Country
The Law Librarians’ Working Group of the Self-Represented Litigation Network with the American Association of Law Libraries Government Law Libraries Special Interest Section Best A2J Practices Committee surveyed law libraries about their services to the self-represented litigant, including self-help programs. Results are displayed in this Story Map. This research and analysis was developed to expand SRL services among law libraries by demonstrating best practices for assisting SRLs.
Year published:
2024
Document Author:
SRLN
News: Tale of Two No-Cost Re-Engineering Projects that Launched Self-Help Centers (SRLN 2015)
Both the Bronx Family Court and the Pittsburgh Court were able to significantly increase quality, speed, and capacity by re-engineering procedures, re-arranging physical layout, some paint, and new benches. See Pittsburgh Court Doubles the Number of Self-Represented Litigants Served In the First Three Months With No-Cost Reengineering Initiative (SRLN News 2016) and attached presentation from EJC 2015 describing both.
Year published:
2015
Document Author:
SRLN
News: Self-Help Innovations in Maryland (News 2021)
The Maryland Court Help Center 2021 Provider Conference offered a glimpse into some of the cutting edge innovations in self-help in the COVID era.1
Year published:
2021
Document Author:
SRLN
Report: Better _______: Strategies for User-Informed Legal Design (Michigan Advocacy Program and Graphic Advocacy Project 2021)
In 2019, the Michigan Advocacy Program (MAP) received a Technology Initiative Grant (TIG) from the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) to bring UX design and usability testing training to the justice community. After having struggled with these topics in the early days of Michigan Legal Help, and then learning how important they are, MAP wanted to help others in the community understand the basics of UX design and learn how easy usability testing can be.
Year published:
2021
Document Author:
Michigan Advocacy Program, Graphic Advocacy Project
Resolution: In Support of Continuing Efforts to Meet Civil Legal Needs (CCJ/COSCA 2021)
In February of 2021, the Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators adopted Resolution 2 In Support of Continuing Efforts to Meet Civil Legal Needs. After extensive findings setting out the need, especially during the COVID pandemic, they resolved:
Year published:
2021
Document Author:
CCJ/COSCA
Survey: SRLN Tiers of Service Survey Tool (SRLN 2015)
The SRLN Tiers Survey was developed for states to conduct a quick tiered inventory of their court based self-help services. Tier 1 services are asynchronous (one-way), Tier 2 services are synchronous (two-way), and Tier 3 services integrate multiple providers or parts of the system.
Year published:
2015
Document Author:
SRLN, Katherine Alteneder
Guide: Guidelines for the Operation of Self-Help Centers in California Trial Courts (California 2011)
The Administrative Office of the Courts, in collaboration with judges, court executive officers, attorneys, and other parties with demonstrated interest in services to self-represented litigants, is charged with the development of these guidelines for dissemination to the trial courts by March 1, 2008, and thereafter to review them every three years. The attached document reflects the guidelines for the delivery of comprehensive statewide court based self-help in California.
Year published:
2008, 2011
Document Author:
California Judicial Council Center for Families Children & the Courts
Report: Turning on the Lights: How the Massachusetts Trial Court Could Deploy a Virtual Court Service Center to Assist Self-Represented Litigants (MA Appleseed 2019)
This report was prepared in partnershup with the Mass. Trial Court to inform the development of a virtual self-help center to supplement the work done by its court service centers. This report will be valuable to any jurisdiction working to better serve SRLs. It includes a robust literature review, analysis of input from numerous stakeholders (survey tools are included), and recommendations for how to increase human help and optimize technology. A must read for anyone working in court based self-help.
Year published:
2019
Document Author:
Massachusetts Appleseed, Deb Silva, Julia Schutt, Jake Hofstetter
Tool: CA Self-Help Centers' Self-Assessment Tool for Quality Programs (CA Courts 2018)
The California Self-Help Centers’ Self-Assessment Tool for Quality Programs was developed as a strategic and tactical planning template to promote quality Self-Help Center Programs across California. The tool is designed to connect a wide range of initiatives within the Judicial Branch, and to intentionally develop systems to interconnect the larger court system with self-help programs.
The Tool is designed to:
Year published:
2018
Document Author:
California Judicial Council Center for Families Children & the Courts, Superior Court of California, County of Butte SHARP Program
Reports, Evaluations, Best Practices, Surveys
Evaluation
Best Practices
Surveys
Tools for Evaluating Self-Help Programs and Services
Self-Help Centers
Trial Court Self-Help
Starting a Self-Help Center
Best Practices for Self-Help Centers
Managing a Self-Help Center
Linking a Self-Help Center to Other Services
Evaluating a Self-Help Center
Survey: SRLN Library Working Group National Self-Help in Libraries Survey (SRLN 2019)
SRLN Report (March 2021) Evaluating Library Services to Self-Represented Litigants: A Story of Two Surveys
The Law Librarians’ Working Group of the Self-Represented Litigation Network surveyed law libraries in the summer of 2019 about their services, including self-help programs. Learn more about best practices and full survey results in this story map.
Year published:
2019
Document Author:
SRLN