Recipe for Rules Change Success: An Update on Colorado's Pilot Project Evaluation

IAALS follows a four-step framework for continuous improvement of the American civil justice system. Within our Rule One Initiative, we gather research on existing court processes, convene stakeholder groups to develop recommended models aimed at increasing efficiency and access while reducing costs and delays, facilitate the implementation of those models, and support measurement of their outcomes. This process provides a feedback loop for crafting civil procedures that make a real and positive difference for all who use our courts, on both sides of the “v”. IAALS works with courts, judges, lawyers, and other stakeholders to shepherd these changes, so together we can create a better system.

Currently, many of the rules projects implemented around the country are in a measurement phase, and the resulting evaluations will provide valuable information to decision-makers on whether the projects fulfill their goals when put in practice. Although the timing can vary, the lapse of a few years between implementation and the final evaluation results is not uncommon. It takes some time for enough cases to work their way through the system to the point where it is appropriate to draw empirical conclusions about the implemented rule changes.

This kind of evaluation is a bit like baking. Even with quality ingredients and the temperature set just right, taking the dish out of the oven before the timer goes off will not provide a fair basis for judging the recipe. In the meantime, however, everyone is hungry. Without the ability to see the progress being made, it is quite tempting to grab an oven mitt and have a taste.

In the spirit of turning on the oven light so that all may have a look inside, this short Update on the Colorado Civil Access Pilot Project Evaluation provides information on the specifics and timing of the evaluation that IAALS is conducting in Colorado.

Hopefully, this information will provide some reassurance to the Colorado legal community on what to expect in the coming year, while also providing some insight into other evaluation processes that are going on around the country. Though the recipe for each evaluation differs, the time devoted to gathering data is always critical.

Stay tuned!  We will keep you informed of all of the results as they come out.