Civil justice reform has been a popular topic in the legal community so far in 2016. After the amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure came into effect, a push for more fair, speedy, and efficient justice has been made across the United States.
Several jurisdictions have taken note of this movement and are taking action to ensure that their own rulings model these amendments. One of many leading the efforts is Arizona, which established a committee charged to address civil justice reform head on earlier this year.
Arizona established its Committee on Civil Justice Reform in January to develop recommendations, including rule amendments and pilot projects, to reduce the cost and time required to resolve civil cases in Arizona’s superior courts. The Committee on Civil Justice Reform joins Arizona’s already existing Commission on Access to Justice which, like Illinois’s, works to remove barriers of civil justice for low-income persons.
Arizona’s committee will be made up of 24 judges, lawyers, and stakeholders who are tasked with focusing their efforts on issues related to the time and expense of civil litigation, particularly discovery, and will submit a report and recommendations by October 2016.
The Civil Justice Reform Committee members will likely also review some of their Court’s other ideas regarding Arizona’s own amendments to their Rules of Civil Procedure. The state’s rules are currently pending before the Arizona Supreme Court. Initial comments on the revisions were due April 1st, but the second round of comments must be submitted by June 20th.
Arizona is the latest jurisdiction to focus on creating processes to ensure a more efficient and effective court and judicial system. As we report on these developments across the nation, let us know what your state or jurisdiction is doing in the search for civil justice reform and equal access for all.