“MEETING THE CHALLENGES TO EQUAL JUSTICE FOR ALL”
2014 Access to Justice Conference
Friday, June 20, 2014
On a sunny Friday morning, June 20, 2014, 265 interested individuals attended the Access to Justice Conference sponsored by the Hawaii Access to Justice Commission (“Commission”). The venue at the William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawaii, Manoa campus provided an opportunity for all to join in the theme of the conference, “Meeting the Challenges to Equal Justice for All.”
Intermediate Court of Appeals Associate Judge Daniel R. Foley, Chair of the Commission, opened with an overview of the Commission’s activities. In his remarks, Hawaii Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald praised Judge Foley and former Supreme Court Justice Simeon Acoba for their leadership on the Commission. Chief Justice Recktenwald noted, “Our Commission, which is one of 31 such organizations across the country, serves as a model for other states because it has accomplished so much with very limited resources.”
Jim J. Sandman, president of Legal Services Corporation, in his keynote address said that in rethinking access to justice one needs to reachout to the groups that have not been part of the initial movement.
Concurrent workshops in the afternoon of the conference presented further opportunities for attendees to discuss innovations and ideas. The closing panel discussion summarized the challenges, which will hopefully become future accomplishments.
Chief Justice Recktenwald’s opening remarks described the achievements of access to justice in the Judiciary. He stated:
Although we have made significant strides in providing increased access to justice here in Hawai`i, we have much work left to do. We need to sustain our achievements, such as the self-help centers, while at the same time looking for innovative ways in which to continue to move forward.
One example of the out-of-the-box thinking that will be required in order to keep us moving forward is the recent report completed by the Judiciary’s Strategic Planning Committee on Access to Justice. The purpose of this committee, which is chaired by Justice Acoba, was to set forth a long-range vision for the judiciary’s ATJ efforts. The committee’s recommendations range from designating an individual or committee to facilitate access to justice programs statewide, to creating an online ask-a-lawyer interface, to producing YouTube videos to inform the public of common legal issues. It also recommended expanding the judiciary’s Ho’okele assistance program, under which court staff provide directions and assistance to court users as they enter our courthouses.
The full text of his remarks: Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald’s Opening Remarks at the 2014 Access to Justice Conference
Jim Sandman’s keynote address “Rethinking Access to Justice:” Rethinking Access to Justice — Hawaii Access to Justice Conference
Judge Daniel Foley, Gunner Schull, Dean Aviam Soifer, Jim Sandman, Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald, and Justice Simeon Acoba (ret.)
Mihoko Ito and Gary Slovin – Giving Voice to the Underserved workshop
Professor Jim Pietsch, Dr. Ritabelle Fernandes, Dr. John Buzanoski – “Capacity Issues for the Elderly: Your Clients, Your Parents” workshop
Judge Ronald Ibarra and Judge Barbara Richardson – “Strengths/Limitations of Self-Help Centers; Challenges in Working with Unrepresented Litigants” workshop
Emily Reber Porter – “Using Technology to Enhance Access to Justice” workshop
Materials that were discussed in the “Right to Counsel in Civil Cases–Where Are We” workshop:
1. Right to Counsel in Civil Proceedings Overview Memorandum
2. Right to Counsel – ABA Toolkit
3. Haw. Rev. Stat. sec. 604-10-5
4. Haw. Rev. Stat. sec. 633-28 Small Claims
5. Law review articles:
ACCESS_TO_JUSTICE_–_CIVIL_RIGHT_TO_COUNSEL_–_CALIFORNIA_ESTABLISHES_PILOT_PROG
ADVOCACY_IN_HEALTH_PROCEEDINGS_IN_NEW_YORK_STATE
JURISPRUDENCE_DUE_PROCESS_CONCERNS_FOR_THE_UNDERREPRESENTED_DOMESTIC_VIOLENCE_VI
THE_CASE_AGAINST_CASE-BY-CASE_COURTS_IDENTIFYING_CATEGORICAL_RIGHTS_TO_COUNSEL_I
THE_INTERDEPENDENCE_OF_RIGHTS_PROTECTING_THE_HUMAN_RIGHT_TO_HOUSING_BY_PROMOTING
6. Right to counsel cases:
rt to counsel – in interest of A children
rt to counsel – in interest of jane doe
rt to counsel – in interest of RGB
rt to counsel – in interest of TM
7. Temporary restraining orders:
TRO packet 1; TRO packet 2; TRO packet 3; TRO packet 4; TRO Parker v Puhi; TRO State v Narmore
Powerpoint presentations of certain workshops:
RIGHT TO COUNSEL IN CIVIL CASES
RIGHT TO COUNSEL: DEPT. OF HUMAN SERVICES
GIVING VOICES TO THE UNDERSERVED: LOBBYING AND POLITICAL MOVEMENTS
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE – ISSUES TO CONSIDER
MEETING CHALLENGES TO EFFECTIVE DELIVERY OF UNBUNDLED LEGAL SERVICES
USING TECHNOLOGY TO ENHANCE ACCESS TO JUSTICE