Solutions for the Crisis

There are solutions to fix our civil justice system and make it work for all Americans—from technology to cross-sector partnerships. You have a role to play.

  • Knowledge

    Too often, people don’t get help with their civil justice problems because they don’t know their problem is legal in nature and may have a legal solution. Online legal information, court forms in plain language, and self-help centers all reduce the knowledge barriers. Educating policymakers and human service providers, training for judges and pro bono lawyers, and data collection and research are also key knowledge solutions.
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  • Partnership

    Community partners – libraries, schools, health care and human service providers, and government agencies – are increasingly on board with and proving essential to holistic approaches that resolve the civil justice problems of people they serve. View graphics >

  • Policy

    Modernizing and simplifying court processes, updating law practice rules, and ensuring a right to counsel in high-stakes civil cases are all examples of the many policy reforms needed to make civil courts fairer and more accessible. View graphics >

  • Technology

    Online dispute resolution, self-help websites and apps, online screening and referral, video-based consultation, and other technology innovations can transmit life-changing information faster and more inclusively than ever before. These innovations are balancing the scales of civil justice. View graphics >

  • Funding

    Even after court processes have been modernized, there will be many people who need full-scale representation in order to resolve their serious legal problems. Right now, federal funding for the Legal Services Corporation is only $415 million – less than Americans spend each year on Halloween costumes for their pets. Adequate funding must come from both government and private sources. View graphics >