Access to Justice Board
Impediments to Access to Justice Committee

Mission

Identify and remove impediments to the justice system, including physical and language barriers, ineffectual and unworkable rules and procedures, disparate treatment and other obstacles that may serve as barriers to equal justice.

The ATJ Board has combined its Systems and Status Impediments to Access to Justice Committees into an Impediments Committee. Included in its mission is the completion of the implementation of the recommendations from the Systems Impediments Committee's 1996 Report to the ATJ Board.

Accomplishments

• Ensuring Equal Access for People with Disabilities, A Guide for Courts (2006)
• Ensuring Equal Access for People with Disabilities (brochure)
• GR 33: Requests for Accommodation by Persons with Disabilities
• Researched and produced an extensive Report which identified 13 impediments to access to justice
• Focusing on the administrative system, worked with the Office of Hearings and Appeals to implement many of the recommendations
• Authored proposed legislation to award payment of attorneys' fees in administrative hearings
• Using a survey instrument, the committee has undertaken an analysis of current administrative procedures to determine whether changes are appropriate
• Collaborated with WSBA's Court Improvement Committee on a survey of physical barriers in Washington State court houses
• Participated in a workshop at Celebration 2000 focusing on the results of the court access survey
• Oversee the completion of the recommendations in the May 1997 Report of the Systems Impediments Committee to the Access to Justice Board.
• Continue to pursue avenues for the awarding of attorneys fees in administrative proceedings.
• Continue its analysis of current administrative procedures from an access to justice perspective to determine whether changes are appropriate.
• Explore remedies for removing barriers to courthouses for the physically and cognitively disabled.

Committee Chairs

David Lord, Co-Chair, Disability Rights Washington

Hon. Gregory D. Sypolt, Co-Chair, Spokane County Superior Court 

Joan Fairbanks, staff liaison