Texa State Courts Call for Innovation with TECH FOR JUSTICE Austin Hackathon+ Feb 21-22

AUSTIN, Texas - Feb. 13, 2015 - PRLog -- Do you think the justice system could be improved? So does the Judiciary of the State of Texas. That’s why they, and other top legal professionals in the state, are collaborating with the best and brightest minds in computer programming for a two-day work session in Austin on Feb. 21 and 22^nd at the Capital Factory Incubator, Austin Centre Executive Suites, 701 Brazos Street. The event will kick off with an informal happy hour meet and greet on Friday the 20^th at 6:30pm.

The gathering, called a hackathon, has an immediate goal of using technology to help solve stifling case backlog in state courts, as well as developing applications that will bring legal access to those who need it most. Tech experts will partner directly with working lawyers, legal aid professionals, social justice professionals, and others in a competitive and educational atmosphere.

"The Texas courts are really excited about the upcoming Hackathon,” David Slayton, Executive Director of the Texas Office of Court Administration said.  “Using technology to address serious issues facing the courts and litigants is a smart choice. We are hopeful some of our most significant problems can be addressed with technological solutions and are looking forward to the ideas generated by the participants."

A major partner in the event is Legal Services Corporation, the single largest funder of civil legal aid for low-income Americans in the nation. The Corporation is headed by a bipartisan board of directors whose 11 members are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.

The competition offers a $1000 prize to the winning team courtesy of the Texas Access for Justice Commission. The participating teams will have the opportunity to then enter their ideas on the TECH FOR JUSTICE Pitch Portal and be paired directly with working legal aid organizations and potential funders.

Jeff Aresty, President of Internet Bar Organization, a not-for-profit justice and technology organization founded in 2005, and founder of the TECH FOR JUSTICE initiative said, "We are excited to lead this opportunity to bring together the local computer software community with the courts and legal aid organizations to create innovative justice applications.  We consider this to be the first of many such initiatives."

“We have received a tremendous response to our call to join us in this community action to improve our legal systems,” Aresty added.  “And we are inviting fellow lawyers, social justice professionals, software entrepreneurs, civilian and government agencies as well as other concerned citizens in Texas to join with us in this worthwhile endeavor.”  For information on the upcoming event, interested parties can go to www.techforjustice.org.

For further inquiries please contact:

Hannah Hubbard

hannah@internetbar.org

(832) 693-2203