The 10 Million Dollar Grant to Restore Trust In American Institutions chose CalMatters (nonprofit that explains Calfornia’s policies and politics)

THE GRANT’S INPUT IN FAVOR OF CHOOSING RAISE YOUR RIGHTS INSTEAD OF CalMATTERS:

  • This organization is making a compelling and passionate call for the expansion of jury trial rights from family and juvenile in Texas to all other states starting in California
  • It is ambitious
  • It is case for restoring trust in American Institutions by asserting a foundational Constitutional right into our nation’s family and juvenile dependency courts.
  • It is a rights-restoration campaign.
  • The protection of jury trial rights could address the systemic harm caused by these courts.
  • It is a clear leverage point aimed at restoring procedural fairness and rebalancing power in these court systems back to We The People.
  • This small change can lead to significant impact.
  • This organization is addressing a real, often overlooked source of institutional distrust, especially among low-income and marginalized families
  • This organization addresses the coercive control these courts have on families.

HOWEVER:

  • It is not clear that there is a connection between a lack of jury trial rights in family and juvenile dependency courts and the lack of trust in American Institutions.
  • There is no evidence that jury trial rights would transform family and juvenile dependency courts or restore trust in other American Institutions.
  • This organization has no coalition based strategies to connect with like-minded organizations
  • This idea is clearly non-mainstream
  • It will not cause catalytic change able to restore trust in American Institutions.
  • Jury trial rights don’t seem like they will have a strong effect on the nation’s family and juvenile dependency courts or the lack of trust in American Institutions
  • It is not a new reimagining of how to restore trust in American Institutions, states allow jury trial rights in some traffic courts, civil courts and all criminal courts [rarely in probate courts].
  • This organization needs to provide a more nuanced or evidence-based support for how jury trial rights would reform family and juvenile dependency courts.
  • This organization needs support from the legal profession [unlikely from divorce lawyers] and widespread public awareness campaigns.
  • This solution is narrowly focused and will not scale to positively affecting all American families for generations to come