Ozaukee County Bar honored for Family Law Center

The Ozaukee County Bar Association has won an Award of Achievement from the State Bar of Wisconsin for a project completed last year that could become a statewide model for helping pro se litigants, or people who represent themselves in court.

The award honoring the Family Law Center was presented during the Local Bar Grant Competition Awards at the 2009 Wisconsin Bar Leaders' Conference on April 24 at the State Bar Center in Madison.

The State Bar noted that Ozaukee County Bar members have volunteered their services at free legal clinics for self-represented individuals. Last year, the group installed a computer at the Ozaukee County Courthouse to help pro se litigants, who typically had to complete forms by hand – a situation that sometimes created challenges for both litigants and court staff.

The self-help center is expected to reduce the number of incomplete and difficult-to-read, handwritten documents, thereby improving the overall efficiency of court operations, said Atty. Donald Roy Fraker.

Darcy McManus

Fraker praised county officials, including Ozaukee County Circuit Court Commissioner Darcy McManus, who wrote the grant application and oversees the volunteer attorneys. An estimated 150 or more individuals are expected benefit from the initiative this year.  Clerk of Circuit Courts Jeffrey Schmidt and Technology Resources Director John Buhler were also instrumental in making the project a reality, the State Bar noted in announcing the award.

“This award recognizes the ability and willingness of attorneys in the Ozaukee County Bar Association to address needs of their neighbors in Ozaukee County while promoting a positive image of lawyers who care about their state and community,” said Atty. Ben Brantmeier, chair of the Local Bar Grant Competition Subcommittee.

Each year, local and specialty bar associations develop public service projects with the help of the State Bar's local bar grants. Whether the project is a community program, video, publication, or special conference, bar associations can use funds from the State Bar Local Bar Grant Competition Committee to address important community issues and needs.      

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