Regional Court & Library Partnership: A Model for Community-Centered Legal Services
This short video explores the collaborative journey of Monterey, San Benito, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz courts in enhancing community-focused legal services. Initiated in May 1998, the partnership aimed to rebuild public trust and access to justice through strategic planning involving local communities. By integrating libraries as resource hubs, the program trained librarians on legal resources and developed a support system for self-represented litigants. The video highlights key activities, the establishment of a regional volunteer program, and lessons learned, emphasizing a pathway for replication in other jurisdictions.
Regional Court & Library Partnership: A Model for Community-Centered Legal Services
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Presentation Transcript
KLEPS SITE VISIT REGIONAL COURT & LIBRARY PARTNERSHIP Monterey, San Benito Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Courts
How “It” All BeganCommunity-Focused Planning May 1998 • Statewide Conference, “Courts and Their Communities” • Strategic planning at a local level • Involving the Community to renew public trust and confidence • Improving Access • Judicial Council support for outreach to the community • Courts identified interested groups in the community • Focus groups used in strategic plan development 1998-99
Strategic Plans & Self-Help Planning Grants FY2000-01 • Strategic Plans for Providing or Improving Services submitted to the Judicial Council • Strategic plans aligned with the Judicial Council’s mission and goals • Included services for self-represented • Self-Help Planning Grants Regional Approach - Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz take a Regional Approach • Survey court users, court staff and legal service providers • Law school externs study clerks’ windows to assess impact of SRL’s on the time it takes to process cases FY2001-02
Self-Help Planning Grants FY2002-03 • Developed a list of entities willing to partner with the courts in delivering self-help services • Santa Clara joined the consortium. Emphasis switched from identifying resources that could provide support to developing those resources • Developed formal regional volunteer programs in the four courts • Developed library partnership FY2005-06
Regional Court & Library Partnership • Self-Help Planning Grant • Need – Bring services into the community • Libraries – a Natural partnership? • $25,000 ($60,000 request) • Met with reps from local libraries and the courts to brainstorm
Regional Court & Library Partnership • Focus – Training librarians on legal sites on the internet and local resources • Developed MOU between Courts to provide trainers • Contracted with Peninsula Library System • Manage the Project (priceless!) • Follow-up, reports, statistics • Maintain Regional Library intranet site
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT • Taught at library computer labs if available • Created internal webpage for Librarians • http://www.systemref.org/law.htm • Training schedule/Registration • Handouts • Still Maintained – more legal resources • Design and delivery of Bookmarks • Design and delivery of MyLO folders
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT • 6 Training sessions for Librarians • Santa Clara – 4 • Santa Cruz – 1 • Monterey – 1 • Trainers • Self-Help Center Supervisor from each court • AOC for legalselfhelp.ca.gov • Public Interest Clearinghouse for lawhelpca.gov • San Mateo Superior Court for EZLegalFile.org
DISCUSSION – OUTCOMES What we learned: Librarians • Court and Justice system • Legal websites • Self-Help Center Services • “A Day in the Life” at a SHC
DISCUSSION – OUTCOMESWhat we learned: Courts • Working with counterparts in other counties • Public Libraries • Similarities with Librarians • “Train the Trainer” most effective (follow-on public trainings )
REPLICATION • Funding not necessary… but highly desirable! • Set a meeting • Discuss patron needs • Find similarities of interests • Start with same curriculum • Maximize each others’ strengths
