How have courts met the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic with new innovations in court technology? And have these innovations made access to justice easier, or more difficult? According to a recent report from The Pew Charitable Trusts, courts across the country have rapidly adapted online and remote services in a time when in-person access to the courts was greatly restricted while at the same time the need for legal services skyrocketed. Almost all aspects of court proceedings have been affected, including conducting hearings, processing filings, and enforcing judgments and decisions.
Read moreProcedural Fairness Resources from The National Center for State Courts
Court procedures are complicated. Attorneys and judges are specially trained in legal procedure and practice it every day. However, most people who appear in court have never done so before and are unfamiliar with the procedure. Many litigants, especially those without attorney representation (pro se litigants), feel as if the judicial system lacks transparency, accessibility, and clarity, and often perpetuates biases against racial and ethnic minorities and those with low income. Clerks, court staff, jurists, and judges must stay informed of these issues and find solutions to ensure fair and equal access to the judicial system to everyone. This concept is referred to as “procedural fairness” or “procedural justice.”
Read moreCiv Pro: Discovery in Texas
This blog post is the first in a new series from Ex Libris Juris highlighting common topics in civil procedure (Civ Pro). This series is meant to provide general information and further resources to help you prepare to represent yourself in a civil lawsuit in Harris County.
In Texas, there are three basic phases of a civil lawsuit: Pretrial, Trial, and Post-Trial. One of the most important parts of Pretrial preparation is Discovery.
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