THE SUPREME COURT OF WASHINGTON

ORDER REAUTHORIZING THE ACCESS TO JUSTICE BOARD

WHEREAS, the Washington judicial system is founded upon the fundamental principle that the judicial system is accessible to all persons, which advancement is of fundamental interest to the members of the Washington State Bar Association.

WHEREAS, responding to the unmet legal needs of low and moderate income people in Washington State and others who suffer disparate access barriers, the increasing complexity of civil legal services delivery, the importance of civil equal justice to the proper functioning of our democracy, and the need for leadership and effective coordination of civil equal justice efforts in our state, the Supreme Court in May 1994 established an Access to Justice Board and directed that the Board operate for an initial two year period.

WHEREAS, the Access to Justice Board’s initial accomplishments in the face of tremendous difficulty demonstrated the practical value of coordinated and focused leadership under the auspices of the Supreme Court and led the Court to reauthorize the Access to Justice Board for an extended five-year period;

WHEREAS, the Access to Justice Board is a national model that has proven its value in expanding, coordinating and promoting effective and economical civil legal services delivery for vulnerable low and moderate income people, has developed a track record of significant accomplishments that maximized effective use of limited resources to address the civil legal needs of an increasing poverty population, and has made great strides in enhancing access to the civil justice system in Washington State; and

WHEREAS, the Access to Justice Board serves a critical and ongoing function that is essential to the effective administration of justice for all in Washington State,

Now, therefore, it is hereby

ORDERED:

That the Access to Justice Board is hereby reauthorized and shall continue to be administered by the Washington State Bar Association, and is charged with responsibility to assure high quality access for low and moderate income residents and others in Washington State who suffer disparate access barriers to the civil justice system.

The Access to Justice Board shall consist of nine members nominated by the Board of Governors of the Washington State Bar Association and appointed by the Supreme Court. In making its recommendations, the Board of Governors shall solicit nominations from and include individuals associated with the following groups:

Board for Judicial Administration
Washington State Bar Association Board of Governors
Legal Foundation of Washington
Statewide Staffed Legal Services Programs
Volunteer Legal Services Community

The remaining four (4) members shall be nominated on the basis of a demonstrated commitment to, and familiarity with, access to justice issues.

Of these, not less than one nor more than two members of the Board shall be a non-attorney, beginnng with the next vacancy(ies).

The membership of the Board shall reflect ethnic, gender, geographic, and other diversity.

The Board shall designate one member as the chairperson of the Board who shall serve a term of two (2) years and who shall be eligible for reappointment for one additional 2-year term. An individual may continue to serve as chairperson even notwithstanding the expiration of his or her term on the Board.

Appointments shall be for a three (3) year term. Board members shall be eligible for reappointment for one additional term.

The Access to Justice Board shall work to:

Establish, coordinate and oversee a statewide, integrated, non-duplicative, civil legal services delivery system that is responsive to the needs of poor, vulnerable and moderate means individuals;
Establish and evaluate the performance and effectiveness of the civil legal services delivery system against an objective set of standards and criteria;
Promote adequate levels of public, private and volunteer support for Washington State’s civil equal justice network;
Serve as an effective clearinghouse and mechanism for communication and information dissemination;
Promote, develop and implement policy initiatives and criteria which enhance the availability of resources for essential civil equal justice activities;

Develop and implement new programs and innovative measures designed to expand access to justice in Washington State;
Promote jurisprudential understanding of the law relating to the fundamental right of individuals to secure meaningful access to the civil justice system;
Promote widespread understanding of civil equal justice among the members of the public through public legal education;
Promote the responsiveness of the civil justice system to the needs of those who suffer disparate treatment or disproportionate access barriers; and

Address existing and proposed laws, rules and regulations that may adversely affect meaningful access to the civil justice system.

The Access to Justice Board may adopt internal operational rules pertinent to these powers and duties.

The Access to Justice Board shall be funded and staffed by the Washington State Bar Association, which shall have authority to establish a budget and approve expenditures.

The Board shall file with the Supreme Court and the Board of Governors of the Washington State Bar Association an annual report outlining its work during the prior 12 month period.

DATED at Olympia, Washington this 2nd day of November 2000.

BY ORDER OF THE SUPREME COURT