Latest News – Page 4 – Chicago Council of Lawyers

Progress Report: First Year of the New Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County

Today, Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts, the Chicago Council of Lawyers, and the Civic Federation released our report examining Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Iris Martinez’s first full year in office. This progress report follows a report issued ahead of the November 202...

Call to Support: Creating Opportunity for Illinoisans in Need (COIN II) Act

The statewide Creating Opportunity for Illinoisans in Need (COIN II) Act (IL HB 4423 and IL SB 3123) will increase monthly Temporary Assistance for Families in Need (TANF) grants to 50% of the federal poverty level and will implement a full passthrough and disregard policy f...

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 on Wednesday. On January 19, 2022, Illinois Senate Bill 3635 was filed by Sen. Celina...

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 to be guided by a set of shared principles for...

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 of Mayor Lightfoot’s proposed “Victi...

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 knowledge necessary to make informed decisions about judges, the Chicago Council of Lawyers completes...

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’ Justice Ordinance” (O2021-4130) as...

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 of race, gender, ability, citizenship, or socioeconomic status. Together, our staff and...

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 sufficient support. Under the License to Work Act, passed in Illinois 202...

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) Program to help the public understand the bread...