Remarks as Prepared for Delivery
Good afternoon. It’s an honor to be here today, among so many leading scholars on the issue of access to justice. And it’s wonderful to see the student participation and enthusiasm.
Thank you, Professor Nora Freeman Engstrom, for that kind introduction. And thank you to Dean Martinez; President of the Law Review, Anais Carrell; Symposium Editor Amir Wright; and all the staff and students who worked to convene this important event.
It may seem like a basic question in a room like this. Especially after Professor Nora Freeman Engstrom’s comprehensive primer. But I am going to ask it - what is access to justice?
Very often, when I introduce myself to people and tell them that I lead DOJ’s Office for Access to Justice, the response is, “Interesting. And what is that?” The head of the Civil Rights Division doesn’t get that question. Neither does the Director of the FBI, or the Director of the Bureau of Prisons.
I would like to talk today about how to get to that place of common understanding, where everyone recognizes access to justice. What it means, and why it is central to the ideals our country stands for.
At its core, “access to justice” is the pursuit of a foundational and critical promise – that the protections and benefits of our laws are within reach for everyone. Regardless of wealth, status, race or identity – justice should belong to everyone.
But there are many definitions, approaches and theories on how to engage in this pursuit....
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