Central District of California - 2012 Pro Se Annual Report

Current Projects “Under Construction”

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Pathfinder Electronic Filing Project/eSR

eSR

The Pathfinder Electronic Filing Project described in the 2011 report has adopted a new name and logo -- “eSR,” or “electronic Self-Representation.” The eSR program, developed by the Administrative Office of the United States Courts (AO), underwent substantial testing in 2012. Once released, the eSR program will allow self-represented debtors to prepare and submit their own chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcy petition packages. The program will be rolled out in phases, with the first phase allowing chapter 7 petitions only. As one of three test courts, along with the districts of New Jersey and New Mexico, the Court provided considerable feedback throughout 2012 to the AO’s Technology Division in order to improve program functionality.

The test courts also spent time collaborating on a “Help” feature application. Once it is incorporated into eSR, the end user will be able to click a “?” icon next to an item to view a more detailed explanation. This should enable the self-represented to use eSR with less difficulty than paper documents once it is rolled out.

In mid-2013, the Los Angeles Division’s Self-Help Resource Center, with the assistance of Public Counsel, will begin to offer eSR on its public computer terminals. Prospective debtors will be required to attend a bankruptcy seminar offered by Public Counsel prior to using the program. This will allow testing of the program in an environment designed to better understand the challenges a self-represented debtor faces when completing bankruptcy documents online.

Live Internet Chat

As part of the recently implemented Call Center, and to continue the expansion of assistance afforded to the public, the Clerk’s Office is currently reviewing and evaluating available online chat systems. The Court plans to implement a system to improve service to the public by offering live chat during business hours, with features to provide preprogrammed responses such as direct links to forms and frequently asked questions.