Wisconsin team develops three new projects to assist self-represented litigants

Madison, Wisconsin - October 18, 2006

An eight-person team is now developing three pilot projects to help people who are representing themselves in court proceedings. The team designed the projects at the recent Midwest Regional Conference on Pro Se Litigation in Des Moines, Iowa.

The first project will be tested in the Tenth Judicial District, headquartered in Eau Claire. The project will involve providing services to self-represented litigants through the public libraries, with staff training provided by the State Law Library and local courts.

The second project will be tested in the Ninth Judicial District, headquartered in Wausau. This project will make use of videoconferencing to connect self-represented litigants with volunteer lawyers located in another county.

The third project will involve developing a self-help clinic in a county courthouse (location to be determined). The clinic will be staffed by volunteer lawyers and others, possibly with additional assistance from interested court staff.

“Our intent is to make use of existing resources and creative ideas with track records in other states to help our courts provide meaningful access for self-represented litigants while alleviating the burden of providing such assistance on court personnel,” said Atty. Ann Zimmerman, Wisconsin’s statewide pro se coordinator who attended the Des Moines conference.

Other members of the Wisconsin team include Clerk of Circuit Court Trudy Schmidt, Burnett County; Atty. Marsha Mansfield, Madison; Atty. Jeff Brown, State Bar of Wisconsin; Judge Edward F. Vlack III, St. Croix County Circuit Court; State Law Librarian Jane Colwin; Atty. Bob Hagness, Judicare; and District Court Administrator Gregg Moore. They attended the conference with help from a scholarship provided by the State Justice Institute (SJI). SJI is a non-profit organization established by federal law to award grants to improve the quality of justice in state courts nationwide, facilitate better coordination between state and federal courts, and foster innovative, efficient solutions to common problems faced by all courts. More information about the Institute is available on the SJI Web site (www.statejustice.org).

For more information contact:
Amanda Todd
Court Information Officer
(608) 264-6256

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