Policy Statements
Official policy positions and recommendations addressing judicial selection, court reform, and related legal system issues.
Statement in Support of Funding for Non-Police Crisis Models
Non-police crisis response teams, also called Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement (CARE) teams, seek to integrate health professionals into the 911 response system. Non-police crisis response teams have been implemented in numerous jurisdictions with great [...]
The Independence of Federal Law Enforcement—Under Assault
Robert S. Held, Board of Governors, Chicago Council of Lawyers When a president demands personal fealty from senior law enforcement, democracy begins to erode. The purge of seasoned FBI professionals isn’t routine turnover; it is [...]
The Chicago Council of Lawyers Joins the American Bar Association and 50+ Others to Speak Out in Support of the Rule of Law
On March 26th, 2025, the Chicago Council of Lawyers joined more than 50 state, local, and specialty bar associations, including the American Bar Association (ABA) in a letter to “defend the rule of law and [...]
Statement Opposing Trump Administration’s Arrests, Detention, and Attempts to Deport Student Activists
The Chicago Council of Lawyers is alarmed and appalled by the federal government’s decision to intentionally violate the First Amendment Rights of a lawful resident of the United States.
STATEMENT OF CHICAGO COUNCIL OF LAWYERS OPPOSING MIGRANT DETENTION CENTER IN GUANTANAMO
On January 29, 2025, President Trump issued a memorandum directing the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security to expand the Migrant Operations Center in Guantanamo Bay in order to address “immigration enforcement [...]
New Research Documents Need For Deep Reform of Cook County Criminal Court Culture
In their new study documenting a litany of failings in the operation of the Cook County Felony Courts at 26th Street and California Avenue in Chicago, "How Culture Impacts Courtrooms: An Empirical Study of Alienation [...]
Amicus in People v. Moore: There is no justice when access is random or when the rules are unpredictable
In May, the Chicago Council of Lawyers joined an amicus brief submitted by the Children and Family Justice Center at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in the Illinois Supreme Court case, People v. Moore. Our Collaboration for Justice is proud to add our support to the brief which argues for full access to justice for youth in incarceration.
Open Letter to President Biden: End the Decades-Long Imprisonment of Men Held Without Charge at Guantánamo
The Chicago Council of Lawyers joins the International Committee of the Red Cross in calling on President Biden to release forthwith the nineteen men held without charge at Guantánamo for two decades, who already have [...]
“Organized Retail Theft” Bill is an Extreme Approach to an Imaginary Problem
This week, the Illinois Retail Merchants’ Association succeeded in convincing the Illinois General Assembly to introduce legislation targeted at reducing “organized retail theft.” Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts and the Chicago Council of Lawyers [...]
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.
