Court provides direction to Access Commission
Court provides direction to Access Commission
The Florida Commission on Access to Civil Justice has received feedback from the Florida Supreme Court as it continues researching how to best eliminate barriers that keep many low-income and moderate-income people from accessing their courts for civil justice matters.
Chief Justice Jorge Labarga, who created the commission by administrative order in late 2014, said the direction from the court would help the commission fulfill its mission of figuring out how to build bridges across the access to justice gap.
“Too many poor and middle-class Floridians are isolated without legal help for life-changing problems,” Chief Justice Labarga said, adding that common problems range from family matters like divorce and child custody to housing issues, including eviction and tenant rights, to small claims disputes to domestic violence injunctions.
The commission, which submitted an interim report with recommendations in October, must produce a final report by June 30. The chief justice shared the court’s feedback with the commission in a recent letter.
One of the commission’s recommendations calls for allowing law professors and retired judges to serve as “emeritus attorneys” in some cases, advising people on a pro bono basis. The court will refer this proposal to The Florida Bar for consideration and recommendations.
Another recommendation calls for development of a gateway portal to serve as an online connector to existing resources, such as hotlines, law libraries, legal aid organizations, and court self-help centers. The court said it appreciated the work done to date on this concept and requested that the commission address critical issues, such as appropriate funding sources, suitable pilot sites and implications for confidentiality and public record requirements.
The court also asked the commission to coordinate the gateway portal project with another recommendation, which was to create a Florida Civil Legal Resources Access Website, so as to avoid duplication and ensure compatibility.
The 27-member commission is made up of dedicated leaders from all three branches of government, The Florida Bar, The Florida Bar Foundation, civil legal aid providers, the business community, and many other members working together toward a common goal to ensure all Floridians have access to civil justice.
The interim report and more information can be found on the commission’s website at www.flaccesstojustice.org.
