If Access to Justice (A2J) is to be something other than a catch-phrase or a pipe dream, lawyers, judges, court administrators, and law librarians need to think, plan, and act creatively on micro and macro initiatives.
Many ideas are already on drawing boards, in app programmer hands, and in pilot project status. Court Simplification is another A2J Big Idea and here are some places to read about it:
1) You can Google the phrase “court simplification” for information.
The Oregon Small Claims Court book is out – yay!
You can order a print copy or Kindle eBook from Amazon:
Haas, Janay. “Using Small Claims Court in Oregon
One requirement for becoming a private investigator in the state of Oregon is passing a Proficiency Exam issued by the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST). But how does one prepare and study for this test? On the DPSST Private Security/Investigator division’s website, an FAQ page explains the ins and outs of PI licensing. Under the PI exam section, it says:
“The proficiency exam is…an open book exam and all resource materials will be provided for you. You will be provided copies of Oregon Revised Statute (ORS 703.401-703.995) and Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR 259 Division 61) which are relevant to the exam. You are not allowed to use any of your own materials during the exam. You have up to three opportunities to pass this exam with a minimum of 86%.
The exam also covers statutes that PI’s need to be aware of while conducting investigations in Oregon. Feel free to research the following statutes prior to your exam date. (ORS Chapter 9, 40, 135 and 161-167)
We often hear about the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) in the arena of civil court cases such as divorce, evictions, foreclosures, and default judgments. However, the SCRA offers other consumer protections to deployed and disabled veterans. The Oregon Department of Justice’s Veteran Resources website offers information on consumer protections offered by the SCRA in Oregon including:
If you want to find Oregon health insurance plans and calculate your 2014 rates, visit the confusingly named “Cover Oregon” website:
“Cover Oregon is a central marketplace where Oregon individuals and employers will be able to shop for health insurance plans and access financial assistance to help pay for coverage. Starting in October 2013, we will serve as a one-stop resource that makes it easy to find the perfect plan for your unique needs.”
Links to legislative and other information about the Affordable Health Care Act.
Landlords, and others subject to the Oregon Landlord-Tenant Act, should consult or retain an Oregon attorney for advice on abandoned property, probate, guardianship or conservatorship, and other legal issues that may arise when a tenant dies.
Short Checklist:
1) Read the Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) sections on abandoned tenant property, notification of authorities and family, etc. (E.g. Sample index terms: “Landlord and Tenant”, “Dead Bodies”, and “Death”). (Make sure you also check for laws enacted since the last ORS compilation.)
Visit the Bills Signed 2013 link at the Oregon Governor’s website.
You can also click on the “Bills Signed by Governor Kitzhaber (2013)” line for a full view of the data-set. (This link may change over time. If so, visit the Oregon Governor’s website to find new URL.)
You can read the Governor’s signing statements, too.
A recent Oregon Law Practice Management (OLPM) blog post on this subject is one place to begin reading about this subject, including brief discussions of the duties of public defenders and other government attorneys and private attorneys and liability issues.
(The other is a 2012 OSB CLE called “Lawyers and the Deaf Community.”)
From the OLPM blog: Are Private Lawyers Required to Bear the Cost of Communication Access?
What happens in Oregon when a word in a statute is undefined – and someone’s life and liberty is at stake?
In the case of 2011 ORS 167.007 and Oregon v. Palomo, the Oregon Court of Appeals weighs in and defines the word “fee,” with a little help from a dictionary and a legislative history.
May 7, 2013, UELMA (Uniform Electronic Legal Materials Act) update:
The Judiciary Committee is holding UELMA (HB 2944, Intro) over until Thursday, May 9th, to get some more of their questions answered. (There was a brief hearing on HB 2944 on May 6, 2013.)
UELMA Primer: Authenticating the Law
Oregon Legal Research Blog