The Forms and Technology Working Group of the Self-Represented Litigation Network (SRLN) recently announced the winners of its first ever Best Forms Contest. The group's goals were to recognize civil legal forms that utilize plain language, design, and interview and instruction elements to best advantage and ease from the self-represented litigant's viewpoint, as well as to collect a critical mass of forms as examples for the Forms and Technology section of SRLN.org.
Legal Services State Support is very pleased to announce that our staff were selected for both categories!
The winner of Best Static Form is Elsa Marshall, Education for Justice coordinator with State Support, for the Delegation of Parental Authority form.
The winner of Best Automated Form is Jennifer Singleton, legal/technology projects manager with State Support, for the Motion to Modify Child Support or Spousal Maintenance form.
There were 31 entries from around the country and the Working Group found judging the forms difficult. SRLN leader Katherine Alteneder noted that the contest demonstrated how process simplification goes a long way toward reducing the difficulty that self-represented litigants have when filling out court forms.
The Self-Represented Litigation Network (SRLN) is the only non-profit supporting justice system professionals focused on the question of how best to reform ALL aspects of the legal system (courts, legal aid, the bar and non-legal partners) so that SRLs experience the courts (and indeed the legal system) as a consumer oriented environment guided by the principles of equal protection and due process.
