The JFA framework is a component-based description of the resources, services, relationships, and support systems necessary for achieving justice for all. The framework is built on the following assumptions:
- Justice for all requires lawyers, professionals who are not lawyers, courts, legal aid, law schools, and community-based organizations to work together to improve access to justice in a state.
- Many people with legal issues don’t think of the issues as primarily legal in nature and seek help from non-legal sources, like service providers, faith-based organizations, and libraries.
- A small percentage of legal issues end up in court. Many can be and are resolved outside of court.
- The demand for free and low-cost legal assistance for low-income individuals far exceeds the availability of legal aid and free (pro bono) legal assistance.
- While increasing legal aid and pro bono participation remains critically important, a growing number of people with civil legal issues can and do rely on user-friendly legal information, forms, and assistance from trained professionals who are not lawyers to resolve their legal problems without the assistance of lawyers.
- Users of legal resources and services and the community partners they rely on should be centrally involved in creating, assessing, and improving the resources and services they use.
The framework recognizes the critical importance of robust legal services and resources, including innovative services that don’t require lawyers. It also encourages a systemwide focus on how services and resources are provided, evaluated, expanded, and improved.
Components of the JFA Framework
- Governance & Planning
- Communications & Resources
- Self-Help Information and Forms
- Systemwide Referrals
- Representation from Lawyers (including brief services and limited scope representation)
- Assistance from professionals who are not lawyers and Navigators
- Community Education and Prevention
- Appropriate Alternative Dispute Resolution
- User-Friendly and Accessible Courts
Each component has a list of key elements that access to justice stakeholders can use to assess progress, opportunities, and challenges in their jurisdiction.
The Guidance, Tools & Resources page includes a list of resources, examples, and best practices organized by the framework components. For a more tailored list of potentially useful resources, consider using the JFA diagnostic tool.