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News & Updates
 
August 15, 2010
Justice Initiatives to sponsor Judicial Candidate Forum on October 21, 2010.
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August 8, 2010
New self-help legal forms for child custody and visitation are now available online through I-CAN!
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July 13, 2010
Justice Initiatives to sponsor District Attorney Debate on October 14, 2010

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News & Updates Archive
       
Need help with court forms?
I-CAN!™ Legal is a low cost online application that will fill out court forms for you by asking you simple questions and putting your answers on the forms in the correct place.
Go to I-CAN!
    
  
Need to address a traffic ticket? MeckTrafficTickets is an online service you can use to negotiate speeding tickets and to resolve compliance tickets without going to court.
Go to MeckTrafficTickets
 
  
Need to check on the status of a court calendar?
Our Interactive Court Calendars system gives Mecklenburg County Bar members the ability to review the status of trial dockets and update the status of their own cases.
Go to Interactive Court Calendars
  
   
View our Wikipedia profile
 
 
Why Do We Do It?
THE VALUE OF JUSTICE: In Liberty, In Lives, In Dollars
 
The judicial branch is one of the three cornerstones of our representative democracy, the other two being the executive and legislative branches. Courts exist to protect our liberties and rights, and to serve justice. The efficient and effective administration of justice is essential to a healthy and vibrant community. Given the important and compelling role this institution plays in determining our quality of life, every individual has a vested interest in ensuring that our courts are managed efficiently and possess the resources they need.
 
In today's world, government funds are limited, change from year to year, and cover core functions to a limited extent. In a good budget year, there is some money available for additional, innovative programs, which data has demonstrated, produce results. In a bad year, these funds are reduced or eliminated. Professionals in our system tell us that many of our best justice programs which actually affect crime, keep troubled families intact, and save taxpayer dollars in the long run, are hobbled by the perennial question of whether they will receive funding. Additionally, those same professionals seek assistance from time to time in meeting short-term needs and in the development of new programs.
 
Quality justice programs require steady, reliable support to serve all of the people, all of the time. If we desire a better court system, we must advocate and assist in its improvement. That is what Justice Initiatives seeks to do. It is an advocate for the local administration of justice and the professionals who work in it for the benefit of the community. It is also an entity which seeks to raise funds to meet short-term, ad hoc needs of the court to the extent money is available. Justice Initiatives has no large staff nor budget. It operates with concerned volunteers who seek to enlist the assistance of the local community to see that more funding is directed to Mecklenburg County to support local professionals in the creation of smart justice programs, and endeavor to locate seed money for innovative programs that will improve the administration of justice for all of our citizens. 
    
We Have a Choice!

 
We can have a court system that breaks the cycle of crime by treating the underlying issues that drive deviant behavior. We can have a justice system that comprehensively addresses problems like families in crisis, mental illness, substance abuse and child neglect. Our courts can provide programs, services, and education aimed at rebuilding lives and helping individuals become productive members of society. We can have a first-class court system, one that embraces innovation and technology geared toward prompt and expert dispute resolution and one that creates an environment to help our community attract corporations and businesses. We can have all of these things, but it will require your help in ensuring that the judicial program needs in Mecklenburg County are met.
           
 
...to educate the community about the court system and advocate, support and advance its needs and interests.