New Tool Available for Abuse Victims

Due to novel technology, victims of domestic violence can now complete their own petition for a protective order at the I-CAN! Kiosk in Tulsa County.

What is the I-CAN! Kiosk? The Interactive Community Assistance Network (I-CAN!) Kiosk is a multilingual (Spanish and English), interactive, Web-based, self-help, legal service system that provides pro se forms. This self-help system properly formats pleadings, provides court tours and educates users on the law and the steps they need to pursue their legal matter. The program is designed for individuals with little knowledge of computers. Because I-CAN! is Internet-based, individuals can gain access to the legal system and simple pro se forms from public libraries or anywhere there is Internet access. You too can view the I-CAN! format at www.icandocs.org/ok.

What is the Kiosk Able to Do? The I-CAN! Kiosk helps individuals obtain protective orders. By following the simple instructions and answering the questions on the interactive tutorial, individuals can create the following properly formatted pleadings:

• Petition for protective order
• Emergency protective order
• Domestic relations cover sheet
• Service and NCIC information sheet
• Supplemental Information for Law Enforcement sheet

Users of the kiosk are also able to take a court tour where they learn about filing their protective order paperwork and what to expect at the hearing on their protective order.

Where is the Kiosk Located? The kiosk is located in the Tulsa County Courthouse just below the escalators or at www.icandocs.org/ok.

Was There Really a Need for the Kiosk? Approximately 50 percent of the family
division cases filed in Tulsa County had at least one pro se litigant, and there were nearly 4,000 protective orders filed with the Tulsa County Court. Many times, the pro se litigants were poorly prepared for the legal nature of the system. For example, they might act inappropriately in the courtroom, they may have filled out their forms
incorrectly or they may have unrealistic expectations of the outcome of the proceedings. Now, the kiosk helps relieve the load on the judicial system by ensuring that forms are correctly filled out and individuals have accurate information.

Who is Responsible for Implementing the Kiosk? Legal Aid of Orange County, Calif., developed this technology and is assisting in the implementation of I-CAN! projects across the country. The I-CAN! Kiosk project was funded by the Legal Services Corporation and is a collaboration between Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, the Tulsa County Court Clerk, Tulsa County Judges, the Tulsa County Bar Association, the Tulsa County Commissioners, the Tulsa County Court Operations Committee, Domestic Violence Intervention Services and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program. Due to their foresight, this remarkable technology has made its way to Oklahoma.

What Does the Future Hold? The partners will be working with other counties interested in using this system for protective orders. The kiosk’s partners are also
considering future kiosks for other pro se forms, similar to the courts in Virginia,
Massachusetts and California.