(a) Area of focus
The committee makes recommendations for improving access to the judicial system, fairness in the state courts, diversity in the judicial branch, and court services for self-represented parties.
(Subd (a) amended effective February 20, 2014; previously amended effective January 1, 2007.)
(b) Additional duties
In addition to the duties described in rule 10.34, the committee must recommend to the Governing Committee of the Center for Judicial Education and Research, proposals for the education and training of judicial officers and court staff.
(Subd (b) amended effective February 20, 2014; previously amended effective January 1, 2007.)
(c) Membership
The committee must include at least one member from each of the following categories:
(1) Appellate justice;
(2) Trial court judicial officer;
(3) Lawyer with expertise or interest in disability issues;
(4) Lawyer with expertise or interest in additional access, fairness, and diversity issues addressed by the committee;
(5) Lawyer from a trial court self-help center;
(6) Legal services lawyer;
(7) Court executive officer or trial court manager who has experience with self-represented litigants;
(8) County law librarian or other related professional;
(9) Judicial administrator; and
(10) Public member.
(Subd (c) amended effective February 20, 2014; previously amended effective January 1, 2007.)
(d) Cochairs
The Chief Justice appoints two advisory committee members to serve as cochairs. Each cochair is responsible for leading the advisory committee's work in the following areas:
(1) Physical, programmatic, and language access; fairness in the courts; and diversity in the judicial branch; and
(2) Issues confronted by self-represented litigants and those of limited or moderate income, including economic, education, and language challenges.
(Subd (d) adopted effective February 20, 2014.)
Rule 10.55 amended effective February 20, 2014; adopted as rule 6.55 effective January 1, 1999; previously amended and renumbered effective January 1, 2007.
Advisory Committee Comment
The advisory committee's area of focus includes assisting courts to improve access and fairness by recommending methods and tools to identify and address physical, programmatic, and language access; fairness in the courts; and diversity in the judicial branch, as well as addressing issues that affect the ability of litigants to access the courts including economic, education, and language challenges. An additional responsibility of the advisory committee to recommend to the council updated guidelines and procedures for court self-help centers, as needed, is stated in rule 10.960.