Access to Justice Commissions are collaborative entities that bring together courts, the bar, civil legal aid providers, and other stakeholders in an effort to remove barriers to civil justice for low-income and disadvantaged people. Beginning with the first ATJ Commission in 1994 (Washington State), such entities have been developing all over the country, engaging in a full range of activities and strategies to accomplish their goals and objectives. A major strength of the Commission model is its ability to address the state's often-fragmented system for providing access to civil justice as a whole.
The ABA has fostered the launching and development of ATJ Commissions via the Access to Justice Expansion Project, an initiative funded with generous support from the Public Welfare Foundation and Kresge Foundation.
Overview
- Definition
- Hallmarks of Effective Commissions
- Designing a new Commission
- Current Commission Directory
- Articles about Commissions
Structure
- Staffing Models for Commissions
- State-by-State Comparison of Structures - March 2022
- Rules and Orders Creating Commissions, Establishing Structure
Activities
- Annotated Commission Programs/Activities
- March 2022 Commission Updates
- Strategic Plans and Annual Reports
- Conference Call Materials
- Innovation and Expansion Grant Activities
- Conferences and Hearings
Assessment
- A Framework for Outcome Evaluations of ATJ Commission Projects
- Three-Part Evaluation Tool
- Additional Assessment Materials