Ready, set, launch…Court Date Reminders in a Public Defense Setting

Posted on July 11, 2019July 10, 2019 by Sandy North

The Access to Justice Lab has started a new study to learn whether text message communication between arrestees and their public defenders can reduce failure to appear (FTA) rates, improve attorney-client relationships, and avoid unnecessary incarceration. Failure to appear at trial is often a reason that policymakers give for incarcerating people before their trial date. Read more about Ready, set, launch…Court Date Reminders in a Public Defense Setting[…]

A2J Lab Webinar: Evaluation and Research in Law

Posted on June 24, 2019June 21, 2019 by Sandy North

Are you considering evaluating a project but don’t know where to start? Have you ever been curious about what you can learn from different evaluation methods? April Faith-Slaker and Matthew Stubenberg have put together a great introductory webinar that describes different evaluation options. The 45-minute video, designed for members of the legal profession, gives a Read more about A2J Lab Webinar: Evaluation and Research in Law[…]

Ready, Set, Launch…AmeriCorps in Legal Aid (Montana)

Posted on February 9, 2019February 8, 2019 by Sandy North

We’re live in Montana! Our collaborators at Montana Legal Services Association (MLSA) have worked hard with April Faith-Slaker over the past several months to design an evaluation of their AmeriCorps non-lawyer advocacy program. This newest evaluation adds a lot of firsts for the A2J Lab: the first study focusing on a primarily rural location, the Read more about Ready, Set, Launch…AmeriCorps in Legal Aid (Montana)[…]

Coding for Lawyers

Posted on January 23, 2019January 22, 2019 by Sandy North

We had a great turnout at our Coding for Lawyers session at this year’s Innovation in Technology Conference (ITC) held in New Orleans. Taught by A2J Lab researcher Matthew Stubenberg and Harvard Law School’s Access to Justice/Technology Fellow William Palin, the session went into the details of what’s inside the software and platforms that lawyers Read more about Coding for Lawyers[…]

Access to justice issue of Dædalus available free online

Posted on January 9, 2019January 8, 2019 by Sandy North

If you’re looking for some good reading this week, we’ve got you covered. The current issue of Dædalus, a publication of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, is entirely focused on how the U.S. can address the access to justice gap. The first-ever open access issue of the journal, the publication includes twenty-four essays that cover a Read more about Access to justice issue of Dædalus available free online[…]

Ready, set…

Posted on December 31, 2018December 31, 2018 by Sandy North

Ready, set…2019! Before we start the new year, we want to thank all of you who have made 2018 such a success. With your support, this past year we’ve: Launched new studies (including our evaluation of holistic defense in Tennessee); Built exciting new collaborations across the country and worked with more students than ever to Read more about Ready, set…[…]

The TN Social Work in Public Defense Study Has Launched!

Posted on December 21, 2018December 20, 2018 by Sandy North

April Faith-Slaker has been on the road this past week launching the Lab’s newest field operation. Working closely with a group of collaborators throughout Tennessee, April has over the past eight months co-developed and now launched an evaluation of the impact of a holistic defense approach that includes social workers on the public defense team. Read more about The TN Social Work in Public Defense Study Has Launched![…]

Divorce evaluation results are in!

Posted on December 12, 2018December 12, 2018 by Sandy North

We’ve completed the Philadelphia divorce study, and we’re excited to share the results! You can read about the study’s findings in Faculty Director Jim Greiner’s op-ed in the Philadelphia Inquirer online. (Note: philly.com uses a limited paywall with a ten-article limit.) After six years of work with our partners in Philadelphia VIP, an organization that matches low-income Read more about Divorce evaluation results are in![…]

What’s the point of a p-value?

Posted on November 15, 2018November 14, 2018 by Sandy North

Earlier this year, the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University was caught up in a scandal. The alleged transgression? P-hacking. If you have no idea what that means, this post is for you. The papers from our completed studies all use a metric called a “p-value” in the results. A p-value (“p” for probability) Read more about What’s the point of a p-value?[…]

A2J Lab welcomes new staff

Posted on September 6, 2018September 5, 2018 by Sandy North

While the blog has been quiet over the past few month, the Lab’s offices have been busy! We’re excited to announce that we have three new members of the research team. Renee Danser joins the Lab as Associate Director of Research and Strategic Partnerships. Bringing significant experience in court administration, Renee most recently served as Read more about A2J Lab welcomes new staff[…]