Having a say: ‘access to justice’ as democratic participation

Despite the pervasiveness of civil law in Western societies and the impact of its judicial creation and administration, citizens are too often bystanders in litigation; they are either represented by lawyers, and/or increasingly required to resolve these problems themselves without the assistance of legal representation. In terms of access to justice policy and initiatives, the response to this critical problem represents one of the most contested issues on the law-and-society agenda and there have been continuing debates over the meaning of access, its objectives, and its success. The question that arises in this regard is pertinent – can access to justice initiatives empower individuals to meaningfully participate in the legal decisions and processes that affect their lives and by extension, the democratic process? This paper critically examines whether, given the structure of the civil justice system, participation by self-represented litigants is a legitimate or viable foundation for access to justice initiatives

NORTH DAKOTA HOUSEHOLDS' ATTITUDES TOWARD WETLAND PRESERVATION

Over one-half (57%) of the 1,757 respondents to a random survey of North Dakota households agree that all remaining natural wetlands in the state should be preserved. Nearly two- thirds (63%) of the respondents support compensating landowners for preserving wetlands. However, the amount most respondents were willing to pay landowners was $10 or less per year. Over one-third (38%) of the respondents used wetlands for outdoor recreation. Responses were somewhat related to socioeconomic characteristics such as age, gender, income, education, and place of residence.household attitudes, prairie potholes, wetland, North Dakota, Land Economics/Use,

THE IMPACT OF KNAPWEED ON MONTANA'S ECONOMY

The economic impact of three invasive, exotic weeds--diffuse, spotted, and Russian knapweed (Centaurea diffusa, C. maculosa, and Acroptilon repens)--on Montana's economy was estimated using a procedure developed for another invasive weed species. Published data and that from a survey of county weed boards were used to estimate direct negative impacts of over $14 million annually due to infestation of over 2 million acres of rangeland and wildland. This amounts to about$10.63 on each infested grazing land acre and $3.95 on each infested wildland acre. Direct plus secondary economic impacts, estimated using an input-output model, are about$42 million annually, which could support over 500 jobs in the state's economy. This first approximation suggests the knapweed infestation problem in Montana deserves attention, although more work could be done to refine these estimates and to allow estimation of the impacts at sub-state levels.knapweed (Centaurea diffusa, C. maculosa, and Acroptilon repens), Montana, economic impact, invasive weeds, rangeland, wildland, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

ECONOMIC VALUATION OF SOME WETLAND OUTPUTS OF MUD LAKE, MINNESOTA-SOUTH DAKOTA

The objective of this study was to estimate some economic values of Mud Lake, a managed, lacustrine wetland on the Minnesota-South Dakota border. Several outputs of Mud Lake were identified and an economic value was estimated for each. Flood control was valued at approximately $440 per acre, based on dollar damages prevented; water supply, using public utility revenues, was valued at$94 per acre; fish/wildlife habitat, recreation, and aesthetics were valued at about $21 per acre using the Contingent Valuation Method; and corrective expenditures were used to evaluate water quality at a negative per acre value of$180. When capitalized at 6 percent, the estimated total annual value of these four outputs is $6,250 per acre. These values can assist managers and policy makers in making decisions regarding the opportunity costs of Mud Lake management options or of wetland alterations or preservation. These snapshot values of Mud Lake "at the margin" are estimated under the assumption that all other wetlands and water resources in the region are unchanged.wetland, outputs, economic valuation, flood control, water supply, water quality, recreation, aesthetics, fish/wildlife habitat, contingent valuation method, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy, Land Economics/Use,

Valuing Prairie Potholes: Five Case Studies

Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

An Analysis of Sportsman Activity Data Collection Methods for North Dakota

Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Expenditures and Economic Impact of Resident and Nonresident Hunters and Anglers in North Dakota, 1990-91 Season

Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

AGRICULTURAL LAND DRAINAGE COSTS AND RETURNS IN MINNESOTA

The objectives of this study are to (1) introduce some of the topics relative to on-farm drainage decisions in rural Minnesota, (2) briefly describe on-farm drainage methods, (3) estimate the current costs of constructing on-farm drains, (4) estimate the returns to agricultural land drainage, and (5) examine the economic feasibility of on-farm drainage in Minnesota.Land Economics/Use,

Regional Socioeconomic Impact of the Devils Lake Fishery

Community/Rural/Urban Development, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Economic Activity Associated With the Garrison Diversion Unit in 1984

Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,