REPORT TITLE:
Judiciary


DESCRIPTION:
Appropriates funds for the Ho'okele Court Navigation pilot
program at the judiciary.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                            1442        
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO THE JUDICIARY.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that a significant number
 
 2 of citizens of the State are reluctant or unable to access the
 
 3 civil justice system.  Although various reasons are cited, the
 
 4 inaccessibility of the civil justice system is due primarily to
 
 5 the costs associated with retaining private legal representation.
 
 6 Not surprisingly, there has been an increase in the number of
 
 7 persons trying to resolve legal problems on their own.  These pro
 
 8 se litigants often are unfamiliar with legal procedure and
 
 9 terminology.  This lack of knowledge taxes an already strained
 
10 judicial system by diverting a disproportionate amount of court
 
11 staff time to tasks related to pro se litigants.  For example,
 
12 judiciary staff field numerous inquiries on court procedure and
 
13 forms, and must decipher documents that do not conform with
 
14 standard practices.  Pro se litigants also require additional
 
15 time and attention from judges who also must explain procedure
 
16 and review and make decisions regarding nonconforming documents.
 
17      The legislature further finds that the chief justice
 
18 appointed members to a leadership group to study and make
 
19 recommendations on the feasibility of establishing a law-related
 

 
Page 2                                         1442        
                                     H.B. NO.           
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 self-help center, a concept proposed by the 1996 Citizens
 
 2 Conference on Access to Justice.  While recognizing other efforts
 
 3 currently in progress to promote greater access to the legal
 
 4 system, the group determined that a program to help pro se
 
 5 litigants and other court users navigate the court system would
 
 6 significantly improve service to the public as well as increase
 
 7 court efficiency.  Therefore, instead of a central self-help
 
 8 center, the group recommended a court navigation program.
 
 9      The group's proposed model would guide the litigant through
 
10 three contact points.  The public's first contact is with the
 
11 court concierge who would identify the needs of all members of
 
12 the public as they enter the courthouse.  The concierge would
 
13 then direct the individuals to the proper location within the
 
14 courthouse or refer them to an appropriate outside agency.  Pro
 
15 se litigants needing assistance would be directed to the second
 
16 contact point, a customer service center within the courthouse.
 
17 These centers would provide brochures, court forms, and
 
18 personalized assistance.  The last contact would be with counter
 
19 personnel who would process documents and answer simple
 
20 questions.
 
21      The purpose of this Act is to appropriate moneys to
 
22 establish a Ho'okele Court Navigation pilot program within the
 
23 judiciary whose goal is to maximize court efficiency and
 

 
Page 3                                         1442        
                                     H.B. NO.           
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 facilitate access to the civil justice system by providing
 
 2 information, personalized assistance and appropriate legal forms
 
 3 to court users.  The program initially will focus on:
 
 4      (1)  Family court in the first judicial circuit; and
 
 5      (2)  Civil division of the district court in the first
 
 6           judicial circuit.
 
 7                   PART I.  TEMPORARY PERSONNEL
 
 8      SECTION 2.  The judiciary is authorized to establish, at the
 
 9 stated levels, the following temporary positions for the purpose
 
10 of implementing the Ho'okele Court Navigation pilot program for
 
11 the fiscal years 1999-2000 and 2000-2001, to be funded from the
 
12 appropriations authorized in sections 3 and 5:
 
13      (1)  Two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) judicial clerk IV
 
14           positions ($51,672);
 
15      (2)  One full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) court documents
 
16           supervisor position ($31,440).
 
17                    PART II.  KAUIKEAOULI HALE
 
18      SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
19 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $33,876, or so much
 
20 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000, and the
 
21 same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year
 
22 2000-2001, for the following expenses associated with
 
23 establishing and operating the Ho'okele Court Navigation pilot
 

 
Page 4                                         1442        
                                     H.B. NO.           
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 program at district court in Kauikeaouli Hale:
 
 2      1.   Court concierge
 
 3           Funding for one temporary judicial
 
 4                clerk IV (SR-16)                     $25,000
 
 5           Equipment                                 $ 3,000
 
 6      2.   Customer service center
 
 7           Equipment                                 $ 4,270
 
 8      SECTION 4.  The sum appropriated shall be expended by the
 
 9 judiciary for the purposes of this Act.
 
10                    PART III.  KA'AHUMANU HALE
 
11      SECTION 5.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
12 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $60,846, or so much
 
13 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000, and the
 
14 same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year
 
15 2000-2001, for the following expenses associated with
 
16 establishing and operating the Ho'okele Court Navigation pilot
 
17 program at family court in Ka'ahumanu Hale:
 
18      1.   Court concierge
 
19           Funding for one temporary judicial
 
20                clerk IV (SR-16)                     $25,836
 
21           Equipment                                 $ 3,570
 
22      2.   Family court customer service center
 
23           Funding for one temporary court
 

 
Page 5                                         1442        
                                     H.B. NO.           
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1                documents supervisor (SR-21)         $31,440
 
 2      SECTION 6.  The sum appropriated shall be expended by the
 
 3 judiciary for the purposes of this Act.
 
 4      SECTION 7.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
 
 5 
 
 6                              INTRODUCED BY:______________________