The Road to Justice

The Arkansas Access to Justice Commission conducted its first strategic planning review since its creation in October 2004.  The all day session took place at the Arkansas Bar Association and was led by Dean Charles Goldner, Chair of the Commission and Justice Deborah Hankinson a former member of the Texas Supreme Court and a recognized leader of the access to justice movement as head of the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Legal Aid & Indigent Defendants [SCLAID].  A result of this meeting was the determination of ten priorities for the next three to five years of Commission work.  In priority order these are:

• Establish a Legislative Committee
• Obtain a State General Revenue Appropriation
• Reorganize the Commission Committees
• Pro Se – Provide Education for Judges and Clerks
• Educate the Legislature
• Pro Se – Educate Lawyers to overcome market resistance
• Provide Technology Sustainability
• Education Campaign for the Bar and Courts
• Pro Bono - Recruitment Campaign
• Pro Se – Establish Additional Self-Help Centers

During the month of August each of the Commission’s three working committees [Legal Services, Pro Bono, Court Assistance-Pro Se] met to consider and suggest ways the ten priorities might be implemented.  Each committee selected critical components for each of the ten priorities and offered additional ideas they thought pertinent to the components they selected.  These recommendations will be on the Commission agenda for its October 12 meeting at the UALR Bowen School of Law.

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