News and Views Issue 5: Fall 2002
Civil Justice System and the Public Update
Alberta Field Research Underway
In May and June 2002 the research team for the Civil Justice System and the Public project commenced field research in Alberta. As well as conducting interviews in Edmonton the team has visited Calgary, Peace River and High Level. We have received strong support and enthusiastic participation from members of the judiciary, court administrators, lawyers and many other justice system workers. It has proven somewhat more challenging, especially in the larger centres, to identify and include members of the public who have been involved in a civil court case. However, we continue to add to the range of public participation. To date we have completed 75 interviews, 17 of these with members of the public. The data from the interviews is supplemented by field observation notes and meetings with key contacts. During the summer we will be analysing these data.
The Alberta interviews are rich with first hand experience that we are convinced will help us meet our project goal of identifying communication practices that bring about positive change within the system. Many thanks to all those who have supported and participated in the research.
The Alberta data and field experience will also greatly assist us in preparing for the national phase of the research. We will now be turning to our national partners for input and on-the-ground help in organizing our field visits. In particular we will be looking for ways to effectively identify and involve members of the public who have experience in a civil court case.
For more details about the research project we invite you to contact our Research Coordinator, Mary Stratton, by e-mail at mstratto@law.ualberta.ca or by telephone at (780) 492-9426.