A Roadmap for Changing Court Procedures to Improve the Civil Justice System

Over the past few years, IAALS has been tracking the Colorado Civil Access Pilot Project, along with numerous other rules projects across the country. These efforts are aimed at providing greater access to civil justice through case procedures that better meet the goals of a just, speedy, and inexpensive system—qualities that translate to fewer delays and less expense for everyone that uses our courts.

Through this journey, we've learned some important lessons about setting the stage for change. Our new publication, A Roadmap for Action: Lessons from the Implementation of Recent Civil Rules Projects, explores various factors for the successful creation and implementation of new rules and processes, laying the groundwork for future developments. Elements include:

• The right people
• The right process
• Clear project scope
• Buy-in from the legal community
• Addressing the nuts and bolts
• Conducting an evaluation

While we at IAALS do not hold ourselves out as experts in the complicated science and art of change, we do hope that sharing our own experience will provide food for thought to those who share a desire to improve the civil process. The right answers will vary by jurisdiction, but asking the right questions can help judges, attorneys, and court staff move from a great idea to real action on the ground.