News & Updates

The Utah Supreme Court has approved the development of a new program to help litigants navigate the court system. A Supreme Court Task Force established to examine the issue recommended that Limited Paralegal Practitioners (LPPs) be authorized to assist clients with filling out legal forms and preparing settlements, among other tasks, in certain areas of the law, including family law. 

In 2013, the Colorado Judicial Branch created the Self-Represented Litigant Coordinator (Sherlock) program. The Sherlocks, operating in courthouses in each of Colorado’s judicial districts, assist litigants with information on court procedures, forms…

In the Jefferson County District Courthouse in Golden, Colorado, family law self-represented litigants in court on post-decree matters have a new resource available to them. The Turelli Foundation, formed by retired Judge Richard Turelli and retired…

The ABA Commission on the Future of Legal Services has published an issue paper exploring the development of new categories of judicially-authorized-and-regulated legal services providers. The Commission is seeking comments on: Whether the concept…

Navigating federal court without an attorney, self-represented ( pro se) litigants are often lost “in a maze of procedural rules and arcane terminology,” regardless of the strength of their case. However, starting this past March, low-income self…

In a recent article in the California Bar Journal, Judge Mark A. Juhas of the Los Angeles County Superior Court described the numerous benefits that unbundled legal services and limited scope representation provide those seeking access to the courts…

Washington's inaugural class of limited license legal technicians (LLLTs) have taken their initial test to become the first of their kind. Seven of the nine who took the state's LLLT exam passed and now face the next steps toward becoming licensed…

Can the 20th Century model of legal services delivery rise to the challenges and opportunities created by changes in society and the legal industry? And, can clients get the access to justice they deserve through the traditional models of legal…

Minnesota legislators are proposing an alternative to traditional divorce proceedings—the Cooperative Private Divorce. The bill aims to allow couples to form divorce agreements without filing with the court or needing a judge's sign-off. The reform will not replace the current, court-administered divorce system, but adds another option for families to consider.

In its effort to highlight the paradigm shift in how law is being practiced, the ABA Journal recently reported on the IAALS model for a less adversarial, out-of-court divorce process and the first implementation of this model at the University of Denver. While a comprehensive, three-year evaluation of the Resource Center for Separating and Divorcing Families is underway by IAALS, anecdotes from families who have proceeded through the process show that it is succeeding.

A recent ABA survey report found that self-help legal centers around the nation "are a vibrant and effective resource" to those they serve. Receiving responses from nearly half of those surveyed, the ABA found that self-help legal centers now serve approximately 3.7 million people each year and mostly provide legal service in the area of family law, including child support, domestic violence, and guardianships.

One year ago, the Resource Center for Separating and Divorcing Families opened its doors at the University of Denver to serve families in metro area. Based on an interdisciplinary out-of-court model developed by the Honoring Families Initiative, the RCSDF is operating at full-force today, helping numerous parents transition in a positive and constructive manner that better serves them and their children.

Law Week Colorado recently published an article highlighting the Honoring Families Initiative model for out-of-court resolution of divorce and separation, and custody matters, which is currently being piloted at the University of Denver. Thus far, the Resource Center has provided services to over 80 families, including 55 mediations and 18 final orders hearings.

The Resource Center for Separating and Divorcing Families provides an amazing opportunity for graduate students to gain real world experience not only working with clients but working with other professionals. As a dual JD and MSW student, the Resource Center seemed like the opportunity of a lifetime, and was more valuable than I could have ever dreamed.

Recently, Natalie Knowlton and I provided an update to the Colorado legal community on the Resource Center for Separating and Divorcing Families at the University of Denver—a model with national implications. The Resource Center was developed by the Honoring Families Initiative as an out-of-court alternative for families. I encourage readers to become familiar with our program and the impact we have had to-date.

A recent survey asked respondents for their opinions on both court and non-court proceedings for divorcing couples. Overall, only 51 percent of those surveyed indicated they would consider non-court alternatives and only one-fourth believed that non-court proceedings protect parties’ rights. These findings suggest a lack of understanding about out-of-court solutions for families that are often less stressful and less expensive than lengthy in-court proceedings.