News
Alert!
Hurricane
Katrina/Hurricane Wilma Updates
updated
January 31, 2006
News
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NEW
The
National Center for State Courts is teaming up with the
National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges and
the American Bar Association's Center for Children and the
Law in a year-long project funded by the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services. The initiative will
examine problems affecting children and families in child
welfare systems at the time Hurricane Katrina struck,
focusing on creating materials to assist courts and child
welfare systems in preventing these problems from
occurring again in the face of future emergencies.
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NEW
The
Urban Institute has produced a series of publications
examining the policy implications raised by Hurricane
Katrina. The
After Katrina series will address issues like the
state of public education after the hurricane, the effects
of the disaster on non-profit organizations, and the
impact of the storm on poor communities. The briefs
and papers that make up the series are available online at
the Urban Institute's Web site.
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The
Administrative Office of the Courts in Mississippi reports
that Harrison County's circuit and chancery courts have
resumed operations. Hancock County and Jackson
County circuit and chancery courts are working from
temporary locations. Harrison County's Chancery Court
will begin its November term at the Harrison County
Courthouse in Gulfport, Mississippi. A list
of the equipment and supplies needed by courts in
Hancock, Harrison and Jackson Counties has been posted online. For more information
on how to help these three court systems, please contact
Kevin Lackey, the director of the Administrative Office of
Courts at 601-354-7451. Other
news from the Mississippi court system is on the
Mississippi Supreme Court Web site.
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In his
September 15, 2005, address to the nation, President Bush
called emergency planning "a national security
priority." Do you have a disaster
recovery plan in place?
Top
Alabama
Florida
Louisiana
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The
Louisiana Supreme Court has returned to its Royal
Street location in New Orleans. The
Louisiana Supreme Court also issued an order allowing
attorneys not licensed in the state to perform certain limited
pro bono work. Application procedures are
included in the order.
All
programs of the Louisiana Judicial College are cancelled
through January 2006.
The
First Circuit Court of Appeal has set up a portion of its
Web site for issues related to Hurricane Katrina,
including filing guidelines
for cases involving the areas affected by the hurricane
and flood, as well as information
for displaced attorneys with business before the court.
The
Louisiana State Bar Association has resumed
operations in New Orleans. Its Web
site features links to emergency information, court orders
and message boards for offers of help, descriptions of
help needed and much more.
Top
Mississippi
-
The
Administrative Office of the Courts in Mississippi reports
that Harrison County's circuit and chancery courts have
resumed operations. Hancock County and Jackson
County circuit and chancery courts are working from
temporary locations. Harrison County's Chancery Court
will begin its November term at the Harrison County
Courthouse in Gulfport, Mississippi. A list
of the equipment and supplies needed by courts in
Hancock, Harrison and Jackson Counties has been posted online. For more information
on how to help these three court systems, please contact
Kevin Lackey, the director of the Administrative Office of
Courts at 601-354-7451. Other
news from the Mississippi court system is on the
Mississippi Supreme Court Web site.
Federal
Courts
Relief
Efforts
The
ABA, Legal Services Corporation, National Legal Aid and
Defender Association and Pro Bono Net have launched www.katrinalegalaid.org,
a Web site with resources for legal aid programs, pro bono
lawyers and people in need of legal aid.
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LawHelp.org,
which provides information and assistance for people with
low incomes and the legal organizations that help those
people, has a Web page devoted to legal relief in the
areas affected by the hurricane. The resources
page includes links to legal services organizations,
self-help information and hotline numbers.
Top
Help
for Libraries
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LexisNexis
is prepared to serve legal professionals affected by the
hurricanes. Among other services,
temporary complimentary electronic legal research is
available, as well as complimentary or discounted
replacement of destroyed print products.
Displaced
Attorney Orders
Numerous
state supreme courts have issued orders that allow attorneys
displaced by Hurricane Katrina to practice law provisionally
in their new locations. Links to those orders, and to
orders allowing out-of-state attorneys to conduct pro bono
work in affected areas, are
provided below.
Top
National Center for
State Courts
300 Newport Avenue
Williamsburg, VA 23185-4147
Phone (800)616-6164 Fax (757)564-2022
Questions or Comments - email webmaster@ncsc.dni.us
Copyright ©
2005 The National Center for
State Courts. All Rights Reserved.
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