July 19, 2023
While court navigators are not new, there is an increase in courts adopting such programs to assist self-represented litigants (SRLs). According to the Self-Represented Litigants Network, court navigators “are individuals who do not have full formal legal credentials, who assist SRLs with basic civil legal problems, and who are part of a formal program.”
The Court Navigator Program of the District of Columbia Courts describes the functions of their court navigator:
- Explain the court process and what to expect in court;
- Describe your options for completing your court business;
- Help you understand court forms;
- Give you information about legal service organizations; and
- Refer you to other helpful services.
Buncombe County Justice Services in Asheville, North Carolina launched a court navigator pilot program in March 2023 to support court users and to reduce failure-to-appear rates. The navigators serve as the first point of contact for visitors. They provide directions in the building, sign up users for an automated court reminder system, and provide referrals to community resources.
The Hawaii Judiciary’s Volunteer Court Navigator program, which began in 2018, assists self-representing litigants in Maui District Court for cases such as landlord-tenant, debt collection, and non-family temporary restraining orders (TROs). Volunteers wear big orange badges in the courthouse to make them easy to identify. They provide directions and information on court procedures and determine if court users need interpreters or other accommodations.
The Massachusetts Trial Court inaugurated Project NORTH, an acronym for Navigation, Outreach, Recovery, Treatment, and Hope. Funded by a U.S. Department of Justice grant, Project North connects court users in recovery from substance abuse with people who can help them navigate the process. The program offers free rides from court to services such as rent assistance. The program is voluntary and does not require an open case to access services.
The Austin Municipal Court in Texas also has a court-staffed navigator. According to Kim Wingard, the clerk provides wayfinding, accessibility information, assistance for self-serve options including guidance on the touch screen queueing system, the electronic docket display, the multiple customer kiosks to pay for and print driving records, basic internet searches for related agencies, and accessing a remote session. This clerk also directly solicits customer feedback via paper and digital surveys.
Some types of programs not only benefit court users but also provide college students with legal work experience through programs. The Court Navigators Program at the University of Baltimore trains undergraduate, graduate, and law students so they can help SRLs navigate the court processes. Their primary focus is on tenants who sue landlords for hazardous housing conditions and on debt collection. This year the Policy Research Associates in conjunction with State Justice Institute published a National Compendium of Court Navigation Programs with a list of navigator programs around the country.
Do you have court navigators to help SRLs? Share your experiences with us. For more information, contact Knowledge@ncsc.org or call 800-616-6164. Follow the National Center for State Courts on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.