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Call to Support: Creating Opportunity for Illinoisans in Need (COIN II) Act
The COIN II Act would implement a 100% pass-through and disregard policy for families receiving TANF benefits and child support. This means that the full support payment would go to parents and their children—and none would be withheld by the state.
Support for SB 3635 to End Driver’s License Suspensions for Failures to Appear
UPDATE: HB 5588 has been assigned to committee for hearing on Wednesday, February 16. Please submit a witness slip in favor of the bill, as a "proponent," using this link before the hearing at 10:00 AM [...]
Principles for Earned Release Sentencing Reform In Illinois
The Collaboration for Justice of Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts and the Chicago Council of Lawyers, along with a coalition of supporting organizations, have released an open letter to the Illinois Resentencing Task Force urging them [...]
January 21, 2022: Public Comments to Chicago City Council’s Public Safety Committee in Opposition to the “Victims Justice Ordinance” (VJO)
On Friday, January 21, 2022, Program Manager & Policy Analyst for Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts and the Chicago Council of Lawyers, Hanna Sharif-Kazemi, provided comments to the Chicago City Council’s Public Safety Committee in opposition [...]
Seeking Community Input: 2022 Judicial Retention Candidates
As voters, it is our responsibility to elect for fair, compassionate judges we can trust to make impartial decisions based on consideration of the facts and the law. In order to arm voters with the [...]
Chicago City Council must vote NO on the Mayor’s proposed civil asset forfeiture ordinance (O2021-4130)
Chicago’s Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a plan to “start suing gang members to ‘take their assets’” in an attempt to curb community violence. Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts and the Chicago Council of Lawyers view the Mayor’s “Victims’ [...]
Thank you for supporting our “Identifying Hidden Injustices” series!
The Chicago Council of Lawyers and Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts work together in a Collaboration for Justice to create a legal system that is fair, equitable, and accessible to all people — regardless [...]
Driving For Opportunity Act
The bipartisan Driving for Opportunity Act of 2021 creates incentives to states to end debt-based drivers’ license suspensions. It is moving through Congress this month and we are hopeful it will move through Committee with [...]
REPORT: 10 Facts about Pretrial Electronic Monitoring in Cook County
The Chicago Council of Lawyers and Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts have released a report, 10 Facts about Pretrial Electronic Monitoring in Cook County, which catalogs data-based facts about the Cook County Sheriff’s Electronic Monitoring (EM) [...]
VICTORY: Appellate Court Rules to Preserve the Sanctity of Survivor Privileges in Illinois
On Friday, July 10, Chicago Appleseed and Chicago Council of Lawyers submitted an amicus brief in the Illinois Appellate case of People v. Gomez-Ramirez (AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center, Bolingbrook, and Alexian Brothers-AHS Midwest Region Health Co., Contemnors-Appellants). Our pro bono [...]
