Whether due to an external event (a war, plague, or revolution), a major invention (like antibiotics, automobiles, or computers), or a social shift like democratization or sexual permissiveness, a legal system will inevitably change. However, the precise form of that change will be mediated by the existing structures and cultural facts of the society. This ragged and complex nature of the transformations is known as “legal reform”.
When it comes to civil legal services, reforms need to be sensitive to the needs of marginalized communities. Otherwise they risk worsening inequality in the long run.
That’s why we’re working to make sure that the coming changes in access to justice aren’t just about technology—they’re also about people like your neighbors, coworkers, or family members who need help navigating a legal system that can often be inaccessible and expensive.
The first step in bringing about that change is shining a light on the existing obstacles to access. This includes de-psychiatrization of the criminal law, and the need to rethink the way that questions about criminal responsibility are asked—especially in cases where an individual’s mental illness has contributed to their offending behavior.
We’re also addressing structural problems, such as the need to rethink the size and role of the Supreme Court, and enacting reforms that will reorient the Court away from its current body—which sees a great deal of determinacy in constitutional texts—toward one that sees less. It’s important to do so because a legal system that fails to provide justice for the weakest sections of society is ultimately useless.