What the Abacus Can Teach Us About Technology (And Other Valuable Lessons About Innovation and Collaboration)

Access to justice, or the ability for everyone to have a fair chance in court, has been a big issue for a while. Many people can’t afford to hire a lawyer and get turned away from legal help. This is a big problem because everyone deserves a fair shot in court. The Florida Supreme Court made changes to help people with family-related cases by creating special courts just for those types of cases and making forms that people can use without a lawyer. This is important because it helps more people get the help they need in court. In the 1990s, family court divisions and self-help centers were established to help people with family-related legal issues. In the Fourth Judicial Circuit, a family division was created to respond to changes in the law more efficiently. Family Court Services also provided help through case managers and collaboration with pro bono lawyers. However, the need for help was growing faster than the resources available. Judge David C. Wiggins found a way to improve the court’s efficiency and help pro se litigants (people without lawyers) by using innovation and collaboration. Family Court Services in Duval County helps people who represent themselves in court. They have a high-tech courthouse and offer help with many different types of legal actions. However, there is a lack of legal aid funding, meaning there are fewer lawyers to help people with their cases. Technology can’t solve the need for personal advice. Even with fewer lawyers, the court is trying to help self-represented people as much as possible. Judge Wiggins, Mr. Bishop, and Magistrate Akel led a change in Family Court Services in Duval County to help people who represent themselves in court. They came up with new ways to handle cases and worked with other people in the court system to make it easier for those who don’t have a lawyer. They found ways to handle simple cases more quickly and help judges and magistrates focus on more complicated cases. Judge Wiggins didn’t talk about his achievements, but his leadership and innovation made Family Court Services a crucial resource for families in Jacksonville. In the courtroom, he was tough, but his rulings were always thoughtful and focused on what was best for the children involved. His leadership and efficient management made the service grow and adapt over time, ultimately benefitting the community. Judge Wiggins didn’t talk about his own career in the interview, but instead focused on the success of the Family Court Services in Duval County. He talked about how he hoped he made good rulings for families and wondered about the impact he had on children. His work shows that with innovation and collaboration, access to justice can be improved, even with limited resources. There’s a lot we can learn from judges like Judge Wiggins. The sources listed include reports and documents about the justice gap in America, as well as references to specific legal cases and orders in Florida. Additionally, there is a description of a pre-screened family law application process and information about a professor at a law school who teaches and practices public interest law. The sources were cited by a member of the Family Law Section in a column for a legal publication.

Source: https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-journal/what-the-abacus-can-teach-us-about-technology-and-other-valuable-lessons-about-innovation-and-collaboration/