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Month: July 2013

Recent Posts

Limited scope representation: an issue of access

By Judge John P. Anderson, Bayfield County Circuit Court & Attorney Mary K. Wolverton, Chairpersons of Limited Scope Representation Subcommittee of PPAC Courts and attorneys continue to search for tools and procedures that will address the challenges with an ever increasing self-represented population in the judicial system. Limited scope representation is one such tool that can improve access to justice for some Wisconsin residents who may not wish to retain

Judicare launches Northern Wisconsin Legal Advice Project

by Beth Richlen On July 1, 2013, Wisconsin Judicare and the Tenth Judicial District Pro Se Committee launched a new online legal advice website called Northern Wisconsin Legal Advice Project (www.NWLAP.org). The website is intended to provide brief legal advice to low-income residents of the 10th Judicial District, which includes Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Chippewa, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Polk, Rusk, Sawyer, St. Croix and Washburn counties. The website is funded by

Building a pro bono culture for law students

By Angela F. Schultz, Marquette University Law School & Ann Zimmerman, University of Wisconsin Law School Both of Wisconsin’s law schools have created a Pro Bono Society to recognize the pro bono legal services provided their students. Each year, students qualifying for membership in these honorary societies are recognized for their achievement at a special event. In addition, Pro Bono Society members wear an honor cord at graduation and receive special

Updating the Judicial Code for the Age of Self-Represented Litigants

A working group convened by the Wisconsin Access to Justice Commission is examining possible changes to the Wisconsin Code of Judicial Conduct that would provide additional guidance to judges to help address one of the challenges raised by the growth in self-represented litigants. The working group, led by retired Court of Appeals Judge Margaret Vergeront, has been preparing proposed changes as well as gathering suggestions from judges and practicing attorneys.

Milwaukee’s new lawyer for a day program

By Mike Gonring, Quarles & Brady For victims of domestic abuse, the justice gap is the Grand Canyon. With their lives in many cases literally on the line, the great majority of victims face a judge or court commissioner without the benefit of a lawyer, with little or no knowledge of the evidence needed to satisfy the burden of proof and confronted by an abuser who will say anything to

The return on investing in access to justice

This story in the National Law Journal is just the latest example of how legal services programs and even legal services funding organizations are emphasizing the social “return on investment” that is generated by the work that they do. From the article: Page 14 of Legal Services Corp.’s proposed 2014 budget request to Congress bears the face of a 7-month-old infant wearing a baby helmet to form his skull. He