The Rural Paternity Advocate Pilot Project in Hawai‘i’s Third Circuit (Hawai‘i County) is attracting attention from other communities across the United States that may be interested in replicating its innovative approach to increasing access to justice.

Launched in May 2023 as a two-year initiative, the project allows qualified, trained paralegal advocates employed by the Legal Aid Society of Hawaiʻi (LASH) to provide full representation for individuals in family court cases involving paternity, custody, and visitation. In recognition of its early success, the Hawai‘i Supreme Court has extended the pilot for an additional three years, through June 2028.

District Family Court Judge Darien Ching Nagata, who oversees all cases in the pilot project, and Jaycee Uchida, Senior Attorney with LASH, highlighted the program at the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges’ (NCJFCJ) 88th Annual Conference, held June 20–23 in Chicago, Illinois. Their presentation, titled Non-Lawyer Initiative to Facilitate Access to Justice in Hawai‘i, introduced judges and legal professionals from across the country to the project’s structure and promising results.

“I am honored that Ms. Uchida and I have been chosen by the NCJFC to showcase the success of the Rural Paternity Advocate Pilot Project on a national platform. As our program is one of the first-of-its-kind in the nation, I hope that other jurisdictions can implement similar projects to provide access to justice in their rural communities,” Judge Nagata said.

Developed in partnership with LASH, the project addresses the high number of unrepresented individuals in rural communities facing complex and sensitive family law matters. It authorizes trained non-attorney advocates—supervised by licensed Hawai‘i attorneys—to assist eligible low-income clients by preparing legal documents, explaining court procedures, and, with judicial approval, representing them in court. With attorney oversight, advocates draft and file documents, engage with opposing parties or their counsel, participate in mediation and negotiations, conduct direct examinations, and argue motions during court proceedings.

LASH began accepting clients in December 2023. To date, 15 individuals have been represented by LASH Advocates.

Case outcomes indicate that having a LASH Advocate often leads to faster resolutions, whether through mediation, private negotiation, or default judgment. To date, six of the 15 cases have been settled out of court, four have resulted in default judgments, and two were voluntarily withdrawn by the client.

“This pilot project has demonstrated that putting qualified, trained non-attorney advocates in the courtroom with the proper support and supervision can be an effective and creative way to provide critical legal services to Hawaiʻi’s indigent and vulnerable populations. It is also a testament to the strides that we can make as a legal community by partnering together. LASH extends gratitude to Judge Nagata, the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court, HSBA, and the Access to Justice Commission for their ongoing support for this project,” Uchida said.

“Two years ago, Chief Justice Recktenwald and the Hawai`i Supreme Court had the vision to have the Judiciary work with the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii to launch this first-of-its-kind project in the State of Hawai`i. I am thankful to have been selected to have the project in my courtroom and have it as another tool for litigants who cannot afford attorneys,” Judge Nagata said.

LASH continues to accept individuals for representation under the project. Uchida and fellow LASH attorney Scott Shishido continue to supervise the advocates at every level of client representation.