Pro se judicial education programs underway
By Ann Zimmerman, pro se coordinator
 |
Kenosha County Court Commissioner John Plous and Judge Barbara A. Kluka discuss strategies for effectively managing cases involving self-represented litigants at the Joint Wisconsin Family Court Commissioner and Wisconsin Association of Judicial Court Commissioner Conference on May 1 in Wausau. |
Four Wisconsin judges who attended a national "educate the educator" conference last November on the topic of effectively handling cases involving self-represented litigants, and two court commissioners, have adapted and developed model materials and begun using them at judicial education and court commissioner programs in Wisconsin.
At the April 2008 Family Law Seminar in Green Bay, Judge Michael Dwyer, Milwaukee County Circuit Court, and Judge Robert Mawdsley, Waukesha County Circuit Court, presented a three hour session on Managing Cases Involving Self-Represented Litigants in Family Court. At the May joint Wisconsin Family Court Commissioner and Wisconsin Association of Judicial Court Commissioner Conference in Wausau, Judge Barbara A. Kluka, Kenosha County Circuit Court, and Judge Edward F. Vlack III, St. Croix County Circuit Court, Milwaukee County Family Court Commissioner Michael Bruch and Kenosha County Judicial Court Commissioner John Plous presented a training session on Issues Relating to Self-Represented Litigants.
Additional plans in 2008 for judicial education on this topic include making self-represented litigation a theme at the Judicial College in August and a training session at the September Wisconsin Family Court Commissioners' Conference in Door County.
Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson selected the four judges last November to take part in the National Judicial Conference on Leadership, Education, and Courtroom Best Practices in Self Represented Litigation at Harvard Law School to help the courts respond to the increase throughout the state in self-represented litigation.
"The goal of providing judicial education on these issues is two-fold. We hope to assist judicial officers in effectively managing self-represented cases, and at the same time, assist self-represented litigants by increasing public trust and confidence in the court system," Abrahamson said. Please contact Ann Zimmerman for further information about self-represented litigation training issues.
Back to top
Back to The Third Branch current issue
|
