Uncomplicated Courts Initiative Pilot Project

We're seeking a court partner to redesign how it handles high-volume civil cases.

The Uncomplicated Courts Initiative (UCI) is a funded pilot partnership between IAALS and the National Center for State Courts (NCSC), with funding from the State Justice Institute (SJI). Together, we'll work alongside a selected court to diagnose, redesign, and launch a fundamentally simpler approach to processing high-volume cases (like debt collection, eviction, or small claims) so self-represented litigants can navigate them more easily.

Information on this page is intended for state and local courts interested in applying to be the selected UCI pilot partner.

Visit the Uncomplicated Courts Initiative page for more information about the project.

  • Applications are open through October 23, 2026.

  • One court will be selected to receive up to $30,000 in funding and a year of hands-on partnership with IAALS and NCSC.

Why are we doing this?

In roughly 75% of civil cases, at least one party is navigating the legal system without a lawyer, often up against an institutional or corporate opponent with representation. Courts have tried many strategies to help self-represented litigants cope with this complexity: better websites, plain-language forms, navigators, online filing. These changes matter, but they don't make the underlying process itself simpler.

UCI challenges a partner court to go further: not just help people navigate a complex system, but reduce that complexity in the first place. Over a collaborative, three-phase engagement, IAALS and NCSC will work with the selected court to assess its current high-volume process, redesign it from the ground up, and launch a pilot of the redesigned process, creating a model other courts can learn from.

Interested in applying?

If you're a judge, court administrator, clerk, self-help center staff member, or other court stakeholder with the interest and ability to lead a process redesign at your court, we encourage you to apply.

Please review the Request for Applications below for full details on eligibility, what's involved, and what we're looking for in a court partner, then complete the online application.

Read the full Request for Applications (PDF)

Complete the online application

View the application questions at a glance (PDF)

Reviewing the application questions ahead of time can help you gather the information and internal sign-off you'll need before starting the online form.

What does applying involve?

A complete application includes:

  1. The online application form, covering your court's readiness, stakeholder relationships, data capacity, and capacity for sustained engagement.
  2. A letter of support from the chief or presiding judge.
  3. A letter of support from the court administrator or clerk of court.

Key Dates

  • Informational webinar: October 5, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. MT Register Now
  • Application deadline: October 23, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. MT
  • Application review/follow-up: November 2026
  • Award notification to all applicants: December 2026
  • Pilot kickoff: January 2027

These dates are subject to change based on project or partner needs. Any changes will be announced on this page.

Do you have questions?

If you have questions about the project or the application process, register for our informational webinar or contact Danielle Kalil, IAALS Director of Civil Justice and the Judiciary, at danielle.kalil@du.edu.

Please do not contact NCSC or the State Justice Institute with questions about this RFA. All inquiries should be directed to IAALS.