Stanford Law School’s Deborah L. Rhode Center on the Legal Profession and Legal Design Lab, in collaboration with the Superior Court of Los Angeles County (LASC), have unveiled a detailed report that addresses pressing challenges in high-volume civil dockets and presents tech-driven solutions for enhancing access to justice. Titled A Blueprint for Expanding Access to Justice in Los Angeles Superior Court’s Eviction Docket, the report’s findings stem from a comprehensive analysis of LASC’s unlawful detainer cases.
The report highlights an 11% increase in eviction filings by corporate landlords between 2019 and 2023, alongside a significant imbalance in legal representation—92% of landlords had legal counsel compared to only 14% of tenants by 2023. It also identifies key technological barriers, including issues with LASC’s websites and digital tools, which are largely absent from Google search results on legal help queries.
Moreover, the report scrutinizes the court’s Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platform, used minimally since its 2021 launch, with just five successful settlements in two years. David W. Slayton, LASC’s executive officer, emphasized that the partnership with Stanford provides an actionable blueprint for court improvements.
- LASC as a Learning Organization: The report suggests integrating systematic user surveys and automating data capture to enhance operations and user experience.
- LASC as an Information Hub: It recommends redesigning court notices and using digital communications to improve information dissemination.
- LASC as a Collaboration Hub: The development of a triage tool on the court’s website is advised to facilitate resource referrals without compromising impartiality.
- LASC as a Digital Hub: Suggestions include an enhanced ODR platform, an AI-powered Default Judgment Assistant, and a unified digital ecosystem incorporating AI and machine learning.
Historically, LASC has been at the forefront of innovation, but the challenges posed by the increasing dominance of smaller, yet significant cases such as evictions and debt collections, remain considerable. According to David Freeman Engstrom, professor and co-director of Stanford’s Rhode Center, the blueprint represents an opportunity for transformative change, leveraging LASC’s leadership and Stanford’s expertise.
Stanford and LASC plan to host webinars focusing on both local and national implications of their findings and strategies for court modernization. For more information, the full report and accompanying details can be accessed on the LawNext website.