Mapping barriers to legal services
Identifying legal deserts
By using GIS mapping to layer and sort data, this resource shows disparities in legal services in select states.
GIS technology helps courts gain deeper insights into the needs of people living in 'legal deserts' — areas where people may face challenges accessing legal resources and services — by considering access-to-justice risk factors such as:
- the number of attorneys compared to the population,
- distance to a courthouse,
- poverty rates,
- limited English proficiency, and
- the absence of internet or broadband connectivity.
By identifying and analyzing legal deserts, court leaders, policymakers, researchers, and community advocates can develop targeted strategies to address the gaps in legal service availability and better understand the geographic dimensions of access to justice.
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Leveraging navigator programs to assist court users
Court navigator programs can be a vital tool for ensuring access to justice for all. Non-lawyer navigators can provide real-time legal information, referrals, and navigational support to people with civil legal needs who need help moving through the court system and understanding complex legal procedures.