Date post: | 16-May-2015 |
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Technology |
Upload: | legal-services-national-technology-assistance-project-lsntap |
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Document Assembly:How To Get Started
Kate Bladow, Pro Bono NetClaudia Johnson, Pro Bono NetRachel Medina, A2J Author
Agenda
OverviewBuilding a Program Introduction to SoftwareResources
Document Assembly Is . . .Document assembly software helps users answer questions and uses those answers to fill out forms, which can be printed or filed electronically.
The advantages of document assembly include providing additional informational support to people who
complete the forms, eliminating the repeated entry of information, and focusing a user on the information that they need to fill out
the form.
The process of filling out the forms also educates the litigants and advocates on what is relevant to the claim and what should therefore be presented in court.
What is Document Assembly?
Advocates or self-represented litigants answer questions during an interview.
A personalized document is created from the answers.
The answers can be saved and reused.
Document Assembly Examples
Example - EZLegalFile
http://www.ezlegalfile.com/go.jsp?act=actShowHome
Example - NPADO
http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp/smallclaims/secdepletter.htm
https://www.illinoislegalaid.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.dsp_content&contentID=6002
Example – I-CAN!
http://www.icandocs.org/ca
Example – OCAP
http://www.utcourts.gov/ocap/
Document Assembly’s Impact
Impact on Access
Document assembly makes filling out forms easier gives meaningful guidance and
information at convenient times and locations
frees resources for who in need of more help
Impact on Effectiveness
Document assembly generates forms that are correct,
complete, and formatted according to court requirements
improves the quality of staff and volunteer work
boosts staff morale
Impact on Efficiency
Document assembly reduces the amount of time needed to
draft documents decreases processing time allows judges to handle more cases
Agenda
OverviewBuilding a Program Introduction to SoftwareResources
Building a Project - Process
Launch
Assess
Develop
Plan
Building a Program – Essentials
FormsSupport and Buy-InProject Manager
Partnerships: Why?
Successful document assembly projects are done in partnership with:
courts private bar client groups legal aid staff
Partners Can Help You With
Getting everyone to agree on the form, use the form, and accept the form
Testing the templatesOutreachEvaluationResource identification and sharingTracking filed forms and outcomes
Partnering
Communicate often—keep your partners appraised of development, including obstacles
Gather feedback from partners at the beginning of project (baseline), during, and after the project is implemented
When you create an outreach strategy, include your partners
First steps
Identify the area of law and the formBring in template developer
in house outside contractor
Test the templatePost the template on websiteTest some morePost for the public/outreach
Time Considerations
Be ready to change your time frame—allow room for the unexpected
Be open to modify your outreach after implementation
If you are incorporating court kiosks, start discussion of staffing and maintenance w/the courts early—before templates are posted
How Do You Get Started?
“Just do it”
After you have identified the person who will develop the template, carve out time for that person to work in HotDocs and A2J Author. Give them room to learn if beginners, or to create templates if advanced. Don’t delay after training
Evaluating the Program
1.Draft an evaluation plan.2.Design and test data collection
instruments.3.Collect baseline data.4.Collect additional data.5.Analyze data and report findings.6.Repeat steps 4 and 5.
Sustaining the Program
EvaluationPartnershipsMinimized MaintenanceCreative Thinking
Agenda
OverviewBuilding a Program Introduction to SoftwareResources
Automate documents using HotDocs® & A2J Author ®
Together they provide a solution for both advocate-
assisted and self-help document production
Each presents its own set of benefits and limitations
Edit document template in Word
Add automation instructions (i.e., variable names, etc.) using
the HotDocs toolbar
Petition for a Protection Order
Petition for a Protection Order
HotDocs® the authoring interface is slightly more complicated than A2J
Author® the end-user interface is somewhat form-like and less pro se-
friendly than A2J Author® it generates documents it provides an efficient interface for advocates
A2J Author® it does not create documents; the end-user interface is typically inefficient for advocates gathers and provides information in a friendly, intuitive way
suitable for self represented litigants; has a simple authoring interface
HotDocs Templates (document or form)
+A2J Guided Interview
(interview or data collection tool)
National Public Automated
Documents Online (NPADO)
“National Server”
CREATE STORE SERVE
Steps to creating a template: Review the document for which you want to
create a template Create the permanent text of the document Add variable names for each missing piece of
information Make the document template intelligent by
adding conditional logic, repeat dialogs, etc.
Create a HotDocs template or at least review the document for which you want to create an interview Create various variable names for each piece
of data that should be collected Add questions to the interview
Add fields to each question▪ For each field define the appropriate variable name
Child name TE
Child DOB DAChild address TE Child county TE
Child name TE
Child DOB DA
Child address TE
Child county TE
A2J Author Answer File (.anx)
John Doe 01/22/2006 123 My Street OurCounty
.anx (answer file)+
document template= completed document
A2J Author Answer File (.anx)
National Public Automated
Documents Online (NPADO)
“National Server”
Agenda
OverviewBuilding a Program Introduction to SoftwareResources
Tools and Resources
Pro Bono Net DA Support SiteLSNTAP LSTech Resource LibraryA2J Author SiteSelfHelpSupport.org