14th JD Access to Justice Charter

14^th Judicial District Access to Justice Committee

Charter

Adopted January 2016

This charter is adopted jointly by the 14^th Judicial District of Colorado (District), and the Northwestern Colorado Bar Association (Association) to organize a group known as the 14^th Judicial District Access to Justice Committee (Committee).  This committee shall function under the following rules:

1.     The Committee shall be a subsection of the Northwestern Colorado Bar Association.

2.     The Committee is formed for the purposes of improving access to justice for citizens of the District, primarily through the development and encouragement of pro bono legal aid projects.  The existing projects shall be supported and strengthened as possible.  Any other improvement in the provision of justice to all citizens may be undertaken.

3.     The Committee shall be composed of nine to nineteen residents of the District, with the following background, as appointed by the person designated below:

a.      One district court judge, appointed by the Chief Judge of the District.

b.     One county court judge, appointed by the Chief Judge of the District.

c.      Three to four attorneys appointed by the president of the Association.

d.     One District family court facilitator or equivalent person, appointed by the Chief Judge.

e.      One District self-represented litigant coordinator or equivalent person, appointed by the Chief Judge.

f.      One to three persons who have been litigants in a court in the District within the past two years, either pro se or represented pro bono, or by Colorado Legal Services, appointed by the Chief Judge.

g.     A designee of Colorado Legal Services, appointed by its director.

h.     One or two designees of the Victim’s Advocate office, appointed by its director(s).

i.       A designee of Integrated Community, appointed by its director.

j.       A designee from the District Attorney’s Office, appointed by the District Attorney.

k.     A designee from the Public Defender’s Office, appointed by the local Office Head.

l.       A designee of social services or human services, appointed by its director.

m.   One administration representative, appointed by the District Administrator.

The Committee shall select a chair, vice-chair, secretary, and treasurer.  The Chief Judge and the President of the Association shall be ex-officio members for the purpose of receiving meeting notices and minutes.  The Colorado Bar Association will provide a liaison to assist in information dissemination.

4.     The Committee shall meet at least quarterly.  Unless otherwise decided by the Committee, it shall meet at the Routt County Justice Center at noon on the fourth Thursday of the months of February, May, August, and November.  Special meetings may be called by the chair of the Committee or upon the request of any three members of the Committee.  The District shall send notice of all meetings two weeks in advance.  Fax or email notice will be used if possible.  Video conferencing will be used if available.

5.     Expenses of the Committee shall be kept to a minimum.  The Association will pay the costs of operation as they may agree.  The District or a member of the Committee will provide reasonable copying and mailing service.

6.     The agenda of any regular meeting shall include the following:

a.      Report from the CLS representatives as to the status of CLS work in the District;

b.     Report from the other legal services representative as to the status of pro bono work in the District;

c.      Report from the family court facilitator as to the status of pro se litigants in the family court matters in the District;

d.     Report from the self-represented litigant coordinator as the status of pro se litigants in the District;

e.      Other matters as may be decided by the chair and committee.

7.     The Committee will report at least annually to the Colorado Access to Justice Commission, to the Association, and to the Chief Judge.  This report may be filed electronically.