This measure determines the degree to which access to court services is hindered due to the cost or complexity of procedures. The measure provides information on the latent demand for court services, i.e., the number of people who have a need for court services but, for a variety of reasons, do not access such services. Data are collected in conjunction with the telephone survey in Measure 5.1.3, General Public’s Perceptions of Court Performance.

Planning/Preparation. Review Form 5.1.3 regarding the general public’s perceptions of court performance. Items 19 through 21 were added to the survey to obtain data for Measure 1.5.3. The items ask respondents (1) whether they have ever wanted to go to court but did not, (2) what type of case they had, and (3) what prevented them from going to court. In addition, the first two questions on the survey form inquire about respondents’ previous experience with the court. These items should be reviewed and modified as necessary to incorporate terminology used by the local jurisdiction.

Data Collection. The data are collected as part of the telephone survey for Measure 5.1.3. Review the description of that measure for details on the procedure.

Data Analysis and Report Preparation. The data are analyzed as set forth in the description of Measure 5.1.3. The contractor conducting the telephone survey will provide the percentages of each response for each question. The higher the number of individuals who wanted to access the court but did not, the poorer the court is performing on this measure. What types of cases are most often not pursued and what reasons are most often given for not pursuing a court case? Do the responses vary for those who have had prior experience with courts and those who have not?