Civil court-based reforms

Cartoon depicting an auctioneer selling off family land for $100, with a family of bears looking on while sharks in suits bid on the land.

Episode 66: Heirs’ Property’s Fragile Hold on Land Ownership and Justice

By A2J Lab | August 17, 2026

Just because an individual may own property, does not guarantee that the person may keep that property—that’s the warning stemming from this week’s podcast episode featuring an interview with Dr. Kara Woods, research analyst at Alcorn State University’s National Policy Research Center. Issues may arise from heirs property—co-owned land in which the name of the original, and now deceased, owner is still on the deed. Land loss due to heirs property issues affects groups disproportionately by race and class, and the policy protections against it are inconsistent across states. The ensuing legal hurdles mark a barrier that some families cannot overcome. One takeaway: Communicate with your family members!

Property Rich, Justice Poor: Heirs’ Property and Involuntary Land Loss

By A2J Lab | August 17, 2026

Heirs’ property is the group project no one signed up for. Land inherited without a will and co-owned by many families can easily slip into land unexpectedly lost when a co-tenant forces a partition. Investors then swoop in and outbid family members for the property. The pattern tends to hit hardest with “property rich and cash poor” families, and it’s contributed to a massive decline in African-American property ownership over the last century. Read about the factors leading to heirs’ property issues and the steps, so far, to reform it.

Cartoon depicting "Blob" moving a stage curtain with a picture of a confident judge and seeing the actual judge behind the curtain looking concerned.

Episode 61: The Promise and Pitfalls of Active Judging

By A2J Lab | July 20, 2026

Pro se litigants have reason to hope for a better civil courtroom experience with active judging. If done right, this reform promises more clarity and mercy for those unfamiliar with legal procedures, and better fact-finding and balanced evidence for judges overseeing the cases. This week’s Proof Over Precedent episode discusses the potential for reform, what’s holding judges back from fully adopting it, and the procedural and legislative changes necessary to support both judges and pro se litigants in fairer, more efficient civil hearings.