February 21-22, 2015

Tech For Justice Hackathon+ Austin was the initial implementation of our Hackathon+ model. We gathered programmers, lawyers, technologists, UI& UE designers, public and private sector organizations and government agencies to tackle how to allow EVERYONE to avail themselves of our justice system, or to find methods of achieving informal justice.

In partnership with the Texas Justice System, Tech For Justice Hackathon+ Austin put shoulder-to-shoulder those working on the frontlines of access to justice for the poor and the powerless with young innovators, programmers and entrepreneurs.

Challenge

One of the projects that emerged was Guide Change, which was created to help institutions and caregivers save time, stress and money by optimizing guardianship and supported decision making reporting and data management.

Guide Change

Hacking Resources

FOR NON-CODERS: These tools take a little getting used to (watching the tutorials are quite helpful), but once you do, they’re quite powerful.

Prototype Building Software

Flowcharts, wireframing, and diagramming software

Still not comfortable?  Don’t be afraid to communicate your idea using more traditional Microsoft programs as well.

 

FOR CODERS:

Our friends at Probono.net put these APIs together from TexasLawHelp.org, a great Texas-specific legal knowledge portal.  A one page guide to the site is available here with additional info available here.

Feed for organizational info from TexasLawHelp.org

Feed for family law resources (including guardianship, child support etc.)

A list of various legal APIs are available here.

Some of our favorites include this directory service.

Texas Data

Agenda
Event Info

Prizes

First Place: $1000 (Sponsored by the Texas Access to Justice Commission)

Awarded to the best Hack from either the shared parenting or the guardianship problem set

Second Place: $500

Awarded to the best Hack from the non-First Place problem set (to encourage work on both problem sets)

Third Place: $250

Awarded to the next best Hack.

ORGANIZERS

Jeff Aresty: President, Internet Bar Organization
 
David Slayton: Executive Director, Judicial Council
 
Casey Kennedy: Director, Information Services, Office of Court Administration
 
Randy Chapman: Director, TX Legal Services Center
 
Karen Miller: Managing Attorney, POLL, TX legal Services Center
 
Glenn Radon: Program Counsel, Legal Services Corporation
 
Lisa Rush: Law Library Manager, Travis County Law Library
 
Claire Dunn: Former Lead Organizer, ATX Hack for Change

 

 

Partners: