About the Film

The rule of law is the operating system of a functioning society, but our legal system is broken. “Equal justice under law” is not a reality. Over 80% of people – at least 20 million per year in the US – are left to fend for themselves in a system stacked against them, with negative, life-changing consequences. 

This is the story of the U.S. civil justice system through the eyes of those who can’t access their rights. It’s also the story of those who prevent access to justice and those who are fighting to democratize it. Our film follows the struggles of self-represented litigants through their court journeys, highlighting a broad range of legal issues encountered by everyday people as they attempt to navigate the insurmountable obstacles of a legal system that you have likely also experienced.

Laura Hand, the filmmaker who brought you Amazon’s The Tent Mender, a documentary exploring homelessness on Skid Row and featuring an Emmy-award winning narrator, now shines a light on the riveting untold stories of our civil legal system.

Your contribution will help bring this story to the public and directly impact the very people battling for access to their rights. By building awareness, you can help manifest tangible solutions to the justice crisis. After all, your civil liberty is at stake too.

What We Need & What You Get

Laura and her team are the only documentary crew to be given access by the LA County Court’s executive team to film in the courthouse. She has already conducted over 30 interviews with many of the nation’s top lawyers, highly regarded academics, powerful lobbyists, and most crucially, the self-represented litigants whose voices you’ve never heard. Now, she and her team are ready to shoot. 

As a supporter, you have access to a number of perks including producer credit, special screenings, and documentary merchandise.

Your contribution will help us:

• Conduct interviews with leading lawyers, legal academics, and judges across the nation
• Film self-represented litigants as they navigate their court journeys in LA County
• Hire top tier talent to produce the project
• Rent high quality camera equipment
• Apply to film festivals

The Impact

Powerful storytelling can create tangible good in the world. When Laura partnered with Procter & Gamble on The Tent Mender, the oldest homeless shelter in LA received a brand new laundry room with donations from Tide, Whirlpool, Gensler, and Clark Construction.

With this new Justice documentary, Laura and team aim to bring this conversation to the public and to corporations to drive positive changes in the civil justice system.

Other Ways You Can Help

Please share the campaign with your family, friends, and community by sharing our content on all social media platforms!