Performance of the District Courts

Fiscal Year 2014 - 2015

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GOAL 1: TO ESTABLISH A MORE OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE SYSTEM OF JUSTICE


Objective

1.5 To encourage all responsible public bodies and public officers to make the costs of access to district proceedings and records reasonable, fair, and affordable, whether measured in terms of money, time, or the procedures that must be followed.

Intent of the Objective

Litigants and others who use the services of the district courts can face financial barriers to accessing them. These barriers can include fees and court costs, third-party expenses (e.g., deposition costs and expert witness fees), attorneys’ fees and costs, costs associated with time delays and the overall lengthiness of proceedings, and the cost of accessing records. This objective addresses the need for court leaders to work with other public bodies and public officers to make the costs of access to district court proceedings and records reasonable, fair, and affordable.

Responses To Objective

  1. Actions taken in FY 2014-2015 to assist pro se/self-represented litigants.

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QuestionIdQuestionStatementResponse
857691194What actions, if any, did your court take in FY 2014-2015 to assist pro se/self-represented litigants?Actions taken in FY 2014-2015 to assist pro se/self-represented litigants.
(Hover on the chart for more information and click on the chart to see which courts chose that response.)
Actions taken in FY 2014-2015 to assist pro se/self-represented litigants.
Refresh Charts
Additional actions taken by the courts to address this objective
4th JDC
The court maintained self-represented litigant information and links on the 4th JDC website. Many pro-se/self-represented litigants used forms and information from the site each week, especially in regards to civil divorce litigation.
9th JDC
The 9th JDC continued to operate the Self-Help Desk, with the assistance of the local pro bono office. Local bar association members volunteer time to assist clients who visit the Self-Help Desk.
11th JDC
The court provided generic petitions and other forms to the local public library.
13th JDC
The 13th JDC listed on its website services available to indigent litigants.
14th JDC
The court made forms available for self-represented litigants, established a self-represented litigant website in conjunction with Louisiana State Bar Association, and provided the link to the site on the court's website. The court worked with the Southwest Louisiana Bar Foundation to provide self-help clinics for self-represented litigants.
15th JDC
The court added links on its website to several sources for access to forms. Also, one family court judge implemented a monthly pro se/self-represented litigant docket, to help pro se/self-represented litigants feel less stressed and more able to ask questions when necessary. The court paid for treatment for indigents in family court when other resources were not available.
16th JDC
The 16th JDC maintained its system through which defendants in child support cases may request petitions for custody/visitation. The court provided petitions, pauper forms, and detailed instructions for completing the forms to defendants during court hearings. After completing the forms, litigants were entitled to a hearing officer conference to try to develop a joint custody implementation plan or visitation plan. If necessary, a court hearing may be held.

The court is working with representatives of the Louisiana Bar Association and the local bar associations to implement a self-help desk to provide self-represented litigants with informational material and sample forms for Louisiana courts.

The St. Martin Parish Family Court Program regularly provides forms to self-represented litigants and refers persons needing assistance to the Lafayette Parish Bar Self-Help kiosk, to the District Attorney’s Office for child support services, and to Acadiana Legal Services. The court also refers plaintiffs in protective order cases to the New Start and SNAP programs, that assist domestic violence victims.

Judges worked with the public defender to schedule additional court time to address potential public defender's office conflicts and to ensure that the office is notified when attorneys are required to attend revocation hearings.
17th JDC
The court maintained the 17thjdcselfhelp.com website for self-represented litigants.
21st JDC
The 21st JDC began the process of placing forms for self-represented litigants on the court's new website.
22nd JDC
The 22nd JDC partnered with Southeast Louisiana Legal Services to establish a Self-Help Resource Center and developed legal fill-in-the-blank pleadings available on the court's website. The court provided representation to party defendants in child support enforcement proceedings, Behavioral Health Court clients, Re-Entry Court clients, Sobriety Court clients, Adult/Juvenile Drug Court clients, and Family Preservation Court clients. The court also established a monthly class at the jail re: "No More Strikes", advising prisoners as to the legal ramifications of multiple bill, legal definitions that are contained within the law.
24th JDC
The 24th JDC continued to work with the public defenders office to provide legal representation to indigent defendants. The 24th JDC collected a $10.00 legal assistance filing fee on all civil filings and distributes the money annually to the Southeast Louisiana Legal Services and the Pro Bono Project to help provide legal services to indigent litigants. As mentioned earlier, the 24th JDC has established a Self-Help Desk to help litigants in domestic matters.
26th JDC
The 26th JDC launched a self-help desk page as part of the website. The judges of the 26th JDC began referring self-represented litigants to the website for assistance and available forms.
27th JDC
The court implemented a civil fund, from court costs, to appoint counsel in certain domestic cases.
29th JDC
The 29th JDC began the process to make available web-based pro se/self-represented litigant forms.
37th JDC
The court contacted the Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA) to request, and assisted the LSBA in facilitating, a self-help website. The court plans to present to the site to the local bar association for possible implementation.
38th JDC
In conjunction with the Louisiana State Bar Association, the 38th JDC created a self-help website and published information in local libraries and the clerk of court's office.
Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court
The court continued to make law clerks available to the public to answer general questions about court practices and procedures.
ResponseResponse_Court
Additional actions taken by the courts to address this objective17 courts (4th JDC, 9th JDC, 11th JDC, 13th JDC, 14th JDC, 15th JDC, 16th JDC, 17th JDC, 21st JDC, 22nd JDC, 24th JDC, 26th JDC, 27th JDC, 29th JDC, 37th JDC, 38th JDC, Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court)
Continued to address this objective through the actions indicated below, or implemented the following new actions in FY 2014-2015 to address this objective as indicated below:47 courts (1st JDC, 2nd JDC, 3rd JDC, 4th JDC, 5th JDC, 6th JDC, 7th JDC, 8th JDC, 9th JDC, 10th JDC, 11th JDC, 12th JDC, 13th JDC, 14th JDC, 15th JDC, 16th JDC, 17th JDC, 18th JDC, 19th JDC, 20th JDC, 21st JDC, 22nd JDC, 23rd JDC, 24th JDC, 25th JDC, 26th JDC, 27th JDC, 28th JDC, 29th JDC, 30th JDC, 31st JDC, 32nd JDC, 33rd JDC, 34th JDC, 35th JDC, 36th JDC, 37th JDC, 38th JDC, 40th JDC, 42nd JDC, Caddo Parish Juvenile Court, East Baton Rouge Family Court, East Baton Rouge Juvenile Court, Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court, Orleans Parish Civil District Court, Orleans Parish Criminal District Court, Orleans Parish Juvenile Court)
Did not address in FY 2014-20151 court (39th JDC)
Ensured the availability of indigent defenders to indigent defendants43 courts (1st JDC, 2nd JDC, 3rd JDC, 4th JDC, 5th JDC, 6th JDC, 7th JDC, 8th JDC, 9th JDC, 10th JDC, 11th JDC, 12th JDC, 13th JDC, 14th JDC, 15th JDC, 16th JDC, 17th JDC, 18th JDC, 20th JDC, 21st JDC, 22nd JDC, 23rd JDC, 24th JDC, 25th JDC, 26th JDC, 28th JDC, 29th JDC, 30th JDC, 31st JDC, 32nd JDC, 34th JDC, 35th JDC, 36th JDC, 37th JDC, 38th JDC, 40th JDC, 42nd JDC, Caddo Parish Juvenile Court, East Baton Rouge Family Court, East Baton Rouge Juvenile Court, Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court, Orleans Parish Criminal District Court, Orleans Parish Juvenile Court)
Provided generic petitions and other forms24 courts (1st JDC, 2nd JDC, 4th JDC, 5th JDC, 9th JDC, 14th JDC, 16th JDC, 17th JDC, 18th JDC, 22nd JDC, 24th JDC, 25th JDC, 26th JDC, 29th JDC, 31st JDC, 33rd JDC, 34th JDC, 40th JDC, 42nd JDC, Caddo Parish Juvenile Court, East Baton Rouge Juvenile Court, Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court, Orleans Parish Civil District Court, Orleans Parish Juvenile Court)
Referred pro se/self-represented litigants to legal service corporations43 courts (1st JDC, 2nd JDC, 3rd JDC, 4th JDC, 5th JDC, 6th JDC, 7th JDC, 8th JDC, 9th JDC, 10th JDC, 11th JDC, 12th JDC, 14th JDC, 15th JDC, 16th JDC, 17th JDC, 18th JDC, 19th JDC, 20th JDC, 21st JDC, 22nd JDC, 23rd JDC, 24th JDC, 25th JDC, 26th JDC, 27th JDC, 28th JDC, 29th JDC, 30th JDC, 31st JDC, 34th JDC, 35th JDC, 36th JDC, 37th JDC, 38th JDC, 40th JDC, 42nd JDC, Caddo Parish Juvenile Court, East Baton Rouge Family Court, East Baton Rouge Juvenile Court, Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court, Orleans Parish Civil District Court, Orleans Parish Juvenile Court)
Worked with the clerk of court and/or local bar to provide information36 courts (1st JDC, 2nd JDC, 3rd JDC, 4th JDC, 6th JDC, 7th JDC, 9th JDC, 11th JDC, 12th JDC, 14th JDC, 15th JDC, 16th JDC, 17th JDC, 18th JDC, 22nd JDC, 23rd JDC, 24th JDC, 25th JDC, 26th JDC, 29th JDC, 30th JDC, 31st JDC, 32nd JDC, 33rd JDC, 34th JDC, 35th JDC, 36th JDC, 37th JDC, 38th JDC, 40th JDC, 42nd JDC, Caddo Parish Juvenile Court, East Baton Rouge Family Court, East Baton Rouge Juvenile Court, Orleans Parish Civil District Court, Orleans Parish Juvenile Court)

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