Court Costs Fines Fees – Chicago Council of Lawyers

NEW REPORT | I Don’t Know Why I’m Here: Observations from Cook County’s Civil Asset Forfeiture Courtrooms

Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts and the Chicago Council of Lawyers are excited to announce the release of our newest court-watching report, I Don’t Know Why I’m Here: Observations from Cook County’s Civil Asset Forfeiture Courtrooms. From March to August of 2022, our volunteer...

The Collaboration for Justice Joins the Free to Drive Coalition as Amici in Mendoza et al. v Stickler

The Civil Rights Corps and the National Center for Law and Economic Justice have filed a brief on behalf of Free to Drive Coalition members in support of the plaintiffs in Mendoza et al. v Stickler. Chicago Appleseed and Chicago Council of Lawyers (the Collaboration for Justice)...

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...

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...

Support for Changes to Chicago’s Vehicle Impoundment Ordinance

We must not fund our courts, nor our government, through systems of fines and fees that present a disproportionate burden to our economically vulnerable community members. Reducing punitive fines and fees and restructuring enforcement mechanisms to relieve burdens on the most economically vulnera...

License to Work Act Passes

License to Work Act: SB 1786, the License to Work Act, passed in the Illinois legislature veto session on Tuesday, October 29. Chicago Council of Lawyers and Chicago Appleseed are proud to have worked as members of the Transit Table Coalition on this important legislation to end the practice of s...