Law Commons^™

Ashamed, Judged, And Unsafe: A Qualitative Study Of Tenant Justice Perceptions To Inform The Redesign Of Housing Court, Daniel W. Bernal

New Mexico Law Review

Scholars have long suspected that tenants were skeptical of housing court, but prior studies—relying principally on surveys— have not borne that out. This qualitative empirical study draws from in-depth interviews and finds, in contrast to these previous studies, that tenants find the housing court process anything but fair, and describe a startling disconnect between their reasons for court attendance and their experiences of the hearings. Such negative justice perceptions may affect participation in housing court, compliance with judgments, and overall confidence in the judicial process. This Article suggests several legal and policy reforms to better align the housing court experience …