emonkus – Chicago Council of Lawyers

NEW: Second-Ever Class of the Future Justice Lawyers of Chicago Capstone Report, “School or Prisons,” Now Published

The forward, below, was written by David Schrodt, Board Member of the National Appleseed Network, Board Member of the Chicago Council of Lawyers, and Leader of the Collaboration for Justice’s FJLOC Working Group This report is authored by the second-ever class of the Future Justice Lawyers of Chi...

Letters to the Editor Commentary

Stoking fears about DNC protests gets in the way of right to peacefully protest Now, more than ever, we must renew our collective commitment to amplifying voices outside institutions of power, writes the Chicago Council of Lawyers. By Letters to the Editor Aug 13, 2024, 2:00pm CDT Chicago...

Transit Table partners pass HB277

HB277—a bill that amends Illinois law to no longer suspend driver's licenses for failure to appear in court for traffic tickets—has passed both houses and now heads to the governor for signing! Illinois will join twelve other states that no longer restrict driving privileges for failure to appear in...

Threats of Punishment Don’t Create Safety

In an editorial Friday, the Sun-Times reports that State Senate Republicans want to toughen the law and upgrade order of protection violations from a misdemeanor to a Class 4 felony. The editorial suggests this will deter violence and create safety. Unfortunately, that is a misconception. The Dep...

NEW REPORT – When You’re a Hammer, Everything’s a Nail: Examining the “Progressive Prosecutor” Movement and Possibilities for Future Reform

Byline: Naomi Johnson (she/they) is the Co-Executive Director of Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts. They lead all research and policy projects for the organization – centering community voices alongside evidence-driven approaches. Naomi graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a...