![kevin ostrive paralegal shabani arizona kevin ostrive paralegal shabani arizona](https://lebovitzlawgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/barry-headshott.jpg)
Lastly, the box where the paralegal request forms go, by policy, is opened by the graveyard guards who sort through the requests and forward them. Really, talking with one of these paralegals is about as useless as sitting down with a hack to tell them your woe-is-me story. They do NO research, offer NO advice, and show NO interest in anybody's case. The contract paralegal system is what our worst fears said it would be and more! The program is set up and operated to be an obstacle to court, not a stepping stone. So when you ask the guard how you can obtain a request form to see a paralegal, you are told: "All forms listed are what you are allowed." There is no listing of "Paralegal Request" on this form. On the lockdown yards (which includes an increasing number of Arizona prison units) you have to give the guard a "Forms Request Form" to obtain whatever form you want (kite, medical request, etc.). They schedule one day a week, about an hour total, and cram all the "clients" into that short time. (One paralegal I know of was reportedly fired because she did some research for a prisoner and took an active interest in his case.)Īnother problem is getting an appointment to see a paralegal in the first place, especially from a lockdown or control unit position. If there is a motion by the state to dismiss or for summary judgement, the paralegals strictly adhere to the clause in their contract that forbids them from offering assistance beyond the "initial pleading" stage. After the "initial filing" of this form, the prisoner is on his own. They don't help one bit in preparation of this form the prisoner is left to fill it out himself with no instructions. In the rare instance when a prisoner has an actionable complaint, the paralegal hands him a fill-in-the-blanks §1983 form. Average time with each "client'' is 5 to 10 minutes. Instead, they tell the prisoner to 1) read the Self-Help Litigation Manual, or 2) write to an attorney. The paralegals offer zero advice, and are pretty damn quick to explain in no uncertain terms that they are not required to provide advice. I have personally observed numerous meetings between the contract paralegals and prisoners. Does the contract paralegal system work? And does it provide constitutionally adequate access to the courts? After one year of this experiment, I'd say the answer to both is "No". The elimination of Arizona prison law libraries is an experiment that other states (and the courts) are watching. Share: Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on G+ Share with emailīy