Live Help Navigational Assistance for Law Help MN

Live. Help Navigational Assistance for Law. Help. MN. org Users

What is Live. Help? • An instant message or “chat” tool that allows Law. Help users to ask for help finding legal information online (navigational assistance). • Help is provided by someone familiar with the website who can: – immediately provide the requested information, or – search for it and provide a link, or – navigate the site with the visitor.

What is Live. Help Not? • Live. Help is not an advice system: – Users are not allowed to ask for legal advice. – Website specialists are not allowed to provide legal advice.

Why Live. Help? • Different levels of Internet literacy. • Complexity of legal topics. • Will help determine topics with gaps in coverage and other needs for the site. • Users have requested it. • Most users who don’t find what they need are looking for something we have…

Law. Help survey-takers who did not find what they were looking for.

What Does Live. Help Look Like? • Three states have implemented Live. Help: – Iowa – Louisiana – Montana

Louisiana Step 1: Law. Help Homepage

Louisiana Step 2: The Chat Box

Louisiana Step 3: The Chat Please wait for a site specialist to respond. You are now chatting with 'Ashley J. ' • • Ashley J. : Thank you for using Louisiana Live. Help. We can help you find information about the law and your legal rights on Law. Help. Org/LA. However, we cannot give legal advice or tell you what to do. Please remember not to tell me anything confidential. We do not have an attorney-client relationship. Another party in your case may contact Live. Help for legal information. In that case, we will also give him or her information. Is this okay? • you: Yes. • Ashley J. : How may I help you today? • you: I am looking for info on getting child support. • Ashley J. : ok. give me one moment while i look up that information. do you have custody of the child? • you: Yes. • •

Louisiana Step 3: The Chat • • Ashley J. : Hold one moment, please http: //www. lawhelp. org/LA/showdocument. cfm/County/%20/City/%20/demo. Mode/=% 201/Language/1/State/LA/Text. Only/N/Zip. Code/%20/Logged. In/0/rpc/1380100/doctype /faq/ichannelprofileid/24323/iorganizationid/0/itopic. ID/619/i. Problem. Code. ID/1380100/i Channel. ID/140/isubtopicid/0/iproblemcodeid/0/iquestionid/2151 • Ashley J. : this should help you. • you: Thanks! • • • Ashley J. : Have a great day. Thank you for contacting Law. Help. org/LA Live. Help. As I said before, I could help you find information about the law and legal rights. I couldn't give you any legal advice or tell you what to do. Contact Law. Help. org/LA Live. Help again if you need more help. You may also use our Legal Program Directory to contact other organizations for assistance in your area: Louisiana Legal Program Directory Help us make Louisiana Live. Help better. Fill out the survey that pops up after you close this chat. Please be sure to click the gray "close" button on your screen to see the survey. Good-bye. • •

Iowa Step 1: Law. Help Homepage

Iowa Step 2: The Chat Box

Iowa Step 3: The Chat Please wait for a site operator to respond. You are now chatting with 'Christina ' • • Christina : Hello. I can help you find information about the law and legal rights. I can't give you any legal advice or tell you what to do. Do not tell me anything confidential. You and I don't have an attorney-client relationship. The other side in your case may contact Live. Help for more information. In that case, we will also give him or her information. Is this okay? • Christina : I cannot give legal advice but I will try to find information that may help you. Is that ok? • you: Yes. • Christina : How may I help you? You may type your questions to me in the box at the bottom of the chat window.

Iowa Step 3: The Chat • you: I am looking for info about setting up child support. Can you help with that? • • Christina : Just a moment while I find that information. The Iowa Legal Aid articles on child support may be found here Child Support information You may also wish to look at the information on the Department of Human Services Child Support page. https: //childsupport. dhs. state. ia. us/welcome. asp To research Iowa Child Support law go to Iowa Legislature 2007 Code Christina : The information you need may be in this article. Click here: Questions and Answers About Custody and Visitation. There is also information on the Iowa Judicial Branch website Child Custody: Iowa Law Overview • • you: Thanks! • Christina : Do you need to find anything else? • you: No thank you. • Christina : Have a good day!

Louisiana (unavailable)

Montana (unavailable)

Live. Help – Site Specialist View • Specialist opens program: Live. Person Icon in the Notification Area Figure : The Taskbar • Logs in: Figure : Live. Person Login Dialog Box

Live. Help – Site Specialist View • Site Specialist Console:

Live. Help – Site Specialist View • Changing Status: State List Figure : Finding Out Your State in the Operator Console • User’s Views:

Live. Help – Site Specialist View • Canned Chats:

Staffing and Costs • Other states typically use volunteers (such as law students) or VISTAs. • We propose to use our VISTA Member: – More direct supervision. – More intimate knowledge of the site. – Predictable hours. – Fewer “seats. ”

Staffing and Costs (cont. ) • States with full-time (9: 00 to 5: 00) staffing estimate a few hours of work on the system – can be easily managed by VISTA. • Site specialist is notified of request. • “Seat” can be transferred to others in the office when VISTA is away.

Staffing and Costs (cont. ) • Set-up and website integration costs have already been paid through TIG funding to Pro Bono Net. • Our cost is per “seat” (one navigator’s ability to log in at any one time). • Current cost is $150 per month. Has been stable and may even be reduced in the future. • Would start with one seat, but can add or subtract on a month-to-month basis.

Supervision • Staff attorney can periodically monitor chats in real time or retrospectively. • No extra cost for this (seat not needed).

Live. Help Resources • Pro Bono Net: – – – Program set-up/design. Technical assistance. Software configuration. Navigation/administration training. Sample canned chats. Model timeline and work plan. • Other States: – Training materials (including Montana’s 38 -page specialist’s guide). – Disclaimers.

Questions/Discussion • • Using appropriate disclaimers. Avoiding unauthorized practice of law. Conflicts. Using other sites to provide information? – If yes, whether a finite list is needed. • Others?