District Clerk and Law Library Collaboration for "One Stop" Services

About the Program

Category: County Administration and Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2017

In order to improve services to self-represented litigants (SRLs), the Travis County District Clerk and Law Library managers co-located services in the Law library. Previously, SRLs had to move between the two offices multiple times to file a divorce or civil lawsuit, obtain a name change, file various legal documents or ask questions about a pending matter. By locating a deputy district clerk at the law library (3 mornings a week), SRLs can now receive “one stop” support for their legal research and court filings. The reference librarians can receive relevant case information and learn about existing filing procedures. Likewise, the deputy district clerk can refer SRL’s to the law librarians, legal staff and volunteers in order to answer legal questions that the clerk cannot answer. Both offices have gained a better understanding of issues the might impede customer’s experiences and found ways to revise procedures, forms and customer directives. Through the collaborative project, County staff have streamlined services and improved the overall customer experience for individuals dealing with challenging legal issues.