Advisory Committee on Providing Access and Fairness

(a) Area of focus

The committee makes recommendations for improving access to the judicial system, fairness in the state courts, diversity in the judicial branch, and court services for self-represented parties.

(b) Additional duties

In addition to the duties described in rule 10.34, the committee must recommend to the Center for Judicial Education and Resources Advisory Committee, proposals for the education and training of judicial officers and court staff.

(c) Membership

The committee must include at least one member from each of the following categories:

(1) Appellate justice;

(2) Trial court judicial officer;

(3) Lawyer with expertise or interest in disability issues;

(4) Lawyer with expertise or interest in additional access, fairness, and diversity issues addressed by the committee;

(5) Lawyer from a trial court self-help center;

(6) Legal services lawyer;

(7) Court executive officer or trial court manager who has experience with self-represented litigants;

(8) County law librarian or other related professional;

(9) Judicial administrator; and

(10) Public member.

(d) Cochairs

The Chief Justice appoints two advisory committee members to serve as cochairs. Each cochair is responsible for leading the advisory committee's work in the following areas:

(1) Physical, programmatic, and language access; fairness in the courts; and diversity in the judicial branch; and

(2) Issues confronted by self-represented litigants and those of limited or moderate income, including economic, education, and language challenges.