Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Page 3
Judicial Council to Honor Superior Court, Appellate Court Programs
By a MetNews Staff Writer
The Judicial Council of California has selected programs administered by the Los Angeles Superior Court and this district’s Court of Appeal as recipients of the Ralph N. Kleps Awards for Improvement in Administration of the Courts.
Created in 1991 and named for the first administrative director of the California courts, the awards are presented biennially in recognition of innovation in the state’s courts.
The council announced Friday that eight programs state-wide were selected to receive the awards, which will be presented at a ceremony Aug. 26.
Among those being recognized are the Los Angeles Superior Court’s Online Juror Orientation program, which allows the 10,000 people called to jury duty each day in this county an opportunity to complete jury orientation over the Internet, at their convenience and report later on their first day of service.
The Free Self-Help Clinic for Indigent Civil Litigants sponsored by this district’s Court of Appeal—which offers assistance in filling out court forms, paperwork review, and information about the appellate process—will also be honored.
Other projects being recognized include the Amador Superior Court’s Online Procedural Manual—which is a Web-based outline of court procedures and includes links to applicable rules and forms—and the Imperial Superior Court’s Binational Justice Project; a collaborative effort with partners in Mexico to provide free legal services to self-represented litigants, public education, community outreach, and an internship program for Mexican law school students.
Also being recognized are the Monterey Superior Court’s Self-Help Online Workshop Registration—which allows members of the public to register for self-help center workshops and make appointments for individual review of documents over the Internet—and the San Mateo Superior Court’s Multi-Option Alternative Dispute Resolution Project, conducted in partnership with the local bar and community mediation center, which combines an array of dispute resolution options and educational outreach sessions in various areas of law in one location.
Additional honorees include the Contra Costa Superior Court’s online computer application allowing a judge on magistrate duty to approve or deny probable cause declarations in real time from any Internet connection, and a program aimed at families with young children giving them priority access to a network of county social services, community support, and pro bono legal services, sponsored by Family Court Services, FIRST 5, and the Santa Clara Superior Court.
Copyright 2009, Metropolitan News Company