Office for Access to Justice

Office for Access to Justice Organizational Chart

History

The Justice Department’s Office for Access to Justice (ATJ) traces its modern roots to an initiative launched in 2010. ATJ plans, develops, and coordinates the implementation of access to justice policy initiatives prioritized by the Department and the executive branch.

Mission

ATJ works to break down barriers to the founding principle and enduring promise of the Department of Justice: equal justice under law. Its mission is to ensure access to the promises and protections of our civil and criminal legal systems for all communities.

Major Functions

Our mission to ensure access to the promises and protections of our civil and criminal legal systems for all communities is carried out through a number of wide-ranging initiatives.  Some of these initiatives include:

• Access DOJ  Access DOJ is a Department-wide initiative, led by ATJ, focused on designing people-centered solutions to make DOJ’s services more accessible, effective, and efficient. Access DOJ collaborates with DOJ components through annual high-Impact projects; resources and technical support; and chairing a Department-wide community of practice.
• Federal Government Pro Bono Program  ATJ leads the Federal Government Pro Bono Program, an interagency effort to encourage and support federal government attorneys and legal staff to engage in pro bono work and provides guidance and support to volunteers.
• Language Access  ATJ houses the Justice Department’s Language Access Coordinator.   The Language Access Coordinator leads ATJ’s Language Access Program and guides the effective implementation of the Department’s language access obligations. The Coordinator also chairs the Department’s Language Access Working Group, which includes representatives from all public-facing components. Through this effort, ATJ is dedicated to breaking down the barriers that prevent linguistically marginalized communities and those with limited proficiency in English, including those who are deaf and hard of hearing (D/HOH), from reporting a crime, understanding their rights, navigating a court process, and from other interactions with the U.S. Department of Justice.
• Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable  ATJ staffs and directs the work of an interagency collaboration of over 28 federal agencies that improves coordination among Federal programs, increases the availability of meaningful access to justice for individuals and families, regardless of wealth or status, develops policy recommendations that improve access to justice in Federal, State, local, Tribal, and international jurisdictions, advances relevant evidence-based research and data collection and promulgates best practices.
• Support for Access to Counsel and Public Defense ATJ supports indigent defense systems through its mandates to “plan, develop and coordinate the implementation of access to justice policy initiatives of high priority to the department and the executive branch,” and to “promote uniformity of Department of Justice and government-wide policies and litigation positions” relating to access to justice, “including in the area of criminal indigent defense.” See 28 C.F.R. § 0.33. ATJ serves as the principal legal advisor for the department on the constitutional right to counsel and the other rights guaranteed under the Sixth Amendment, and as the liaison and point of contact between the department and indigent defense organizations. In furtherance of this mission, ATJ hosts quarterly convenings with the public defense community.  ATJ has also launched the Public Defense Resource Hub, a one-stop shop with comprehensive resources and materials to support individuals and organizations involved in public defense.
• Implementation of Goal 16 of the United Nation's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development ATJ also promotes strengthened rule of law by serving as an authority on access to justice issues before international organizations and assists with the U.S. Government’s efforts to implement UN Sustainable Development Goal 16 on promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, ensuring equal access to justice for all, and building transparent institutions.