Washington State's Access to Justice Board created the Access to Justice Technology Bill of Rights (ATJ-TBoR) Committee to lead an initiative to ensure that recent advancements in technology serve to expand access to the justice system instead of creating formidable barriers that hinder access to low-income and other underserved individuals. The Access to Justice Board determined that a Bill of Rights is necessary to implement technology that creates a "more accessible, equitable and effective system."
The ATJ Technology Bill of Rights will incorporate fundamental principles that seek to guide and shape the design, development and deployment of technology and technological development and innovations as they relate to the justice system. Once the ATJ Technology Bill of Rights is completed, the committee intends to have these principles adopted and made enforceable by an authoritative body. Accompanying the Bill of Rights, the committee will provide a document that will illustrate the foreseeable consequences of the adoption and implementation of the Bill of Rights both on the justice community and on society as a whole. To ensure easy compliance with the Bill of Rights, the committee is creating an Access to Justice Best Practices checklist template that will enable technology projects to develop with these principles in mind. In addition, the board is partnering with law schools, research universities and community and consumer resources to evaluate and demonstrate where technology can improve access to justice as well as where it can present problems and hinder accessibility. To learn more about this project and read theh first draft of ATJ's Bill of Rights, visit the ATJ-TBoR at: http://www.atjtechbillofrights.org/.
Contact Information:
Donald J. Horowitz Chair, Access to Justice Technology Bill of Rights Committee Or James Kim, Project Coordinator Washington State Access to Justice Board 2101 Fourth Avenue, Suite 400 Seattle, Washington 98121 Phone: 206-239-2118 (James Kim) Fax: 206-727-8319 Email
LSC:
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