Toward a More Level Playing Field: A Navigator Program for Philadelphia’s Debt-Collection Court

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Genre
Report
Date
2022-05-09
Author
DeLuca, Ed
Hofmann, Scott
Kerr, Nicole
Kress Mandel, Rory
Group
The Sheller Center for Social Justice (Temple University)
Access to Justice Clinic (Temple University)
Department
Law
Permanent link to this record
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12613/7931

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DOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.34944/dspace/7903
Description
This proposal seeks to create Philadelphia’s first-ever Consumer Debt Navigator Program. This program aims to ensure a fairer and more just outcome for self-represented litigants facing creditors in Philadelphia Municipal Court. The current system is mired in unfairness and inequality: few, if any, litigants appear on their court dates. Consequently, these defendants routinely incur default judgments without a shred of evidence presented against them, lining their creditors’ pockets rightly or wrongly. When they do appear at their hearing, self-represented litigants are often not made aware of their rights and are confused and overpowered by the plaintiff’s attorney representing their creditors. They may not understand that the judgment against them is binding or that they have a right to see the evidence being offered against them. The proposed Consumer Debt Navigator Program would mitigate these inequities with a two-pronged approach. First, the Navigator Program would engage in early outreach, informing defendants ahead of their court date why they should appear at their hearings to protect their rights. Second, the Navigator Program would ensure that a navigator is on site to meet defendants at the Court on the day of their hearing and assist.
Citation
Toward a More Level Playing Field: A Navigator Program for Philadelphia's Debt-Collection Court (2022)
Citation to related work
Available at: https://law.temple.edu/csj/publication/toward-a-more-level-playing-field-a-navigator-program-for-philadelphias-debt-collection-court/
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