July 17, 2017
Contact: Heather Murphy (602)452-3656
Print Press Release

PHOENIX – The National Association for Court Management (NACM) presented this year’s Top 10 Court Technology Solutions Awards during its annual conference last week with the top honors going to AzCourtHelp.org. It is Arizona’s new statewide virtual legal resource center, which launched in January 2017. The award honors courts that make the best use of technology to improve court services and access to the public. AzCourtHelp.org beat entries from Dubai, Rwanda, and several US states.

Later this month, the National Association of Counties (NACo) will honor Coconino County with its 2017 Achievement Award for its role in launching AzCourtHelp.org.

AzCourtHelp.org offers free assistance to all people who have legal questions or need assistance in resolving disputes. The virtual legal resource center is especially helpful to self-represented litigants who would otherwise not have access to legal resources in their area. An estimated 80 percent of litigants need some level of assistance to protect their rights, proceed with a legal claim, or access legal help. Even basic information such as what court to visit for a particular issue can be confusing to the public.

AzCourtHelp.org features rich content on all types of legal questions ranging from divorce and custody to landlord/tenant issues, civil disputes, and criminal charges. During normal business hours, there is an online chat feature staffed by court employees and law librarians. Live webinars on popular topics are available throughout the month at AzCourtHelp.org/public-events.

One very popular feature of AzCourtHelp.org is the ability to take a virtual tour, allowing users to see what the courthouse looks like, as well as courtrooms, parking areas, and more. A host of accessibility features allow text to be read aloud or translated. Users with visual impairments can adjust text size or contrast.

Stakeholders that contributed to the development of the AzCourtHelp.org include:

• Arizona Administrative Office of the Courts,

• The Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education

• Coconino County Law Library,

• Coconino Superior Court,

• Arizona State Library, Archives, & Public Records,

• The Office of the Arizona Attorney General, and

• The Department of Economic Security’s Division of Child Support Services.

This is the latest in a series of collaborations between Arizona’s courts and the Arizona

Foundation for Legal Services. Past programs that gained national recognition include,

AzLawHelp.org, LawForKids.org, LawForSeniors.org, and LawForVeterans.org.

To stay updated on information available on AzCourtHelp.org like on Facebook at AzCourtHelp.org.

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