A new documentary titled Justice: Just A Promise? is set to shed light on a pressing issue facing the United States: the access to justice crisis. Directed by Laura Hand, known for her work on The Tent Mender, this film aims to enhance public understanding and awareness of this critical, yet often overlooked, national problem. Joining her in this venture is Maya Markovich, a legal innovation leader and a well-known figure within the legal tech community, who serves as a producer and advisor for the documentary.
The documentary has gained special access to film inside the courthouses of the Los Angeles County court system. This access is noteworthy as it is the largest court system globally and grapples significantly with issues arising from litigants who cannot afford legal representation. The presence of unrepresented litigants presents a formidable challenge to the efficiency and effectiveness of the civil justice system.
To support the completion and distribution of this important film, the filmmakers have launched a crowdfunding initiative on Indiegogo. The campaign takes an unconventional approach to funding, with Hand explaining the choice of crowdfunding as a transparent and engaging way to involve the public in the filmmaking process. Interested individuals can support the project and learn more about the campaign through their fundraising page.
Through the documentary, Hand and her team aim to educate audiences about the systemic barriers that hinder access to justice in the United States. The film’s focus on one of the world’s largest and most complex court systems serves as a microcosm for examining broader national issues. As the filmmakers highlight, many remain uninformed about the scale and implications of the access to justice crisis, or the transformative impact that awareness and understanding could have on mitigating these challenges.
For more detailed insights, see the full discussion with the filmmakers on LawNext.