The Council for Court Excellence (CCE), the “moving force” behind the “one day/one trial” jury duty system in the D.C. Superior Court, is a nonprofit organization formed in 1982, that “works to improve the administration of justice in the Washington metropolitan area and in the nation.”  CCE’s work includes a number of initiatives that help legal consumers gain better access to justice.

Logo courtesy of Council for Court Excellence

CCE’s initiatives in the areas of criminal justice, children in the justice system, civil justice, and community education and access to justice are accomplished by:

• Identifying and promoting justice system reforms,
• Improving public access to justice, and
• Increasing public understanding and support of our justice system.

As part of their work, CCE has published a number of community education booklets that explain, in a straight forward way, certain judicial system processes and how to’s on navigating many of the different courts.  These booklets, almost all of which can be downloaded for free on CCE’s digital library, include the following titles:

• Community Guide to the Courts
• Compliments and Complaints Guide
• When Someone Dies: A Non-Lawyer’s Guide to Probate in Washington, DC
• Personal Affairs Record Book
• Guide to the DC Juvenile Justice System
• A Victim’s Guide to the DC Criminal Justice System

The Community Guide to the Court, as an example, introduces legal consumers to the DC metropolitan area “state” courts and the federal courts, and it provides a useful outline of the procedure for “typical” matters in civil, criminal and juvenile courts.  There is also a glossary of terms to make the “legalese” understandable.

CCE is doing much-needed work to improve justice.  The information on its website and especially in these booklets is a great resource for legal consumers indeed.

You’ve got options.  The Center for Legal Practice Reform can help you navigate the attorney/client relationship and level the playing field.  Call LPR today for a free consultation – (301) 351-7970.