10.15.08 Progress Through Partnership
E-Newsletter for members and friends of Chicago Appleseed and the Chicago Council of Lawyers
VoteforJudges.org is Live for the 2008 Judicial Elections!
Vote for qualified judges and protect our courts
Voteforjudges.org, brought to you by Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice, is a nonpartisan website designed to give voters of Cook County the information they need to make informed choices about judges on the November 4th general election ballot.
On the November 4th ballot, 70 judges will be seeking retention in addition to the several contested subcircuit judicial races. At voteforjudges.org, voters will find evaluations for judges and judicial candidates from 11 bar associations (including those of the Council) and by the Suburban Bar Coalition. Voters will also find information about judicial elections and media articles about the judicial races.
When it comes to learning about our judges, don't wait until the election is over. We hear too often from people who say that they would have voted for the judges if they had sufficient information. Voteforjudges.org is your online guide to the judicial portion of the ballot. Get educated now, before you enter the voting booth on November 4th.
For more information about the importance of electing qualified judges, see our YouTube clip featuring Development Director Amanda Grant interviewed on "Perspective."
Special thanks to the Herb Block Foundation for funding our voter education campaign.
Visit the Vote for Judges website
Chicago Appleseed and CCL Get Results
Big announcement made at the 2008 Annual Luncheon
On December 13, 2007, Chicago Appleseed released its report on Chicago's felony courts. The report recommended that the bond hearings at 26th and California, now conducted by videoconference, be replaced with in-person hearings. We also urged the Circuit Court to create an independent pretrial services program. Both recommendations sought to protect due process and to ensure the incarceration of only those who need to be in jail. Bond hearings, together with a pretrial services program, should identify those who would benefit from diversion programs such as drug treatment programs, mental health services, and educational and vocational opportunities.
At the October 7th Annual Luncheon of Chicago Appleseed and the Chicago Council of Lawyers, CCL President Dan Coyne announced that advocacy efforts conducted by the two organizations have been successful. Chief Judge Tim Evans, in a meeting with Dan Coyne and Malcolm Rich on October 3rd, informed us that videoconferencing in Central Bond court will stop by December 15th and that he is working with the Cook County Adult Probation Department to implement a pretrial services program. Chicago Appleseed and the Council will help the court supplement the pretrial services program with a volunteer effort aimed at providing an independent report about each defendant.
Chicago Appleseed and the CCL thank Judge Evans for his efforts thus far, and look forward to working with the Circuit Court in the future.
Those interested in volunteering to participate in the supplemental pretrial services project should contact Malcolm Rich (312-988-6552 or ccl@chicagocouncil.org).
Click on the Criminal Justice Project tab for more information
Thanks to our 2008 Annual Luncheon Sponsors, Speakers and Honorees!
On October 7th, over 300 attorneys, public officials, legal aid workers and guests joined the Chicago Council of Lawyers and Chicago Appleseed for the 2008 Annual Luncheon. The Commitment to Justice Awards were presented to Cook County Public Defender Edwin Burnette and Cook County State's Attorney Richard Devine. Paula Wolff, from Chicago Metropolis 2020, delivered the keynote address.
As always, we sincerely appreciate our sponsors who made this event possible:
Benefactor Level
Goldberg Kohn
Carrie K. Huff
Jenner & Block LLP
David Melton
Charles F. Smith
Diana C. White
Contributor Level
DLA Piper US LLP
Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.
Grippo & Elden LLC
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
McDermott Will & Emery LLP
Miner Barnhill & Galland P.C.
Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP
Novack & Macey LLP
Sidley Austin LLP
Friend Level
Badesch Abramovitch
Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP
The Boeing Company
The Law Offices of Chicago-Kent College of Law
Cohen Law Group
Cook County Public Defenders Association
Eimer Stahl Klevorn & Solberg
Foley & Lardner LLP
Franczek Sullivan P.C.
Futterman Howard Watkins Wylie & Ashley, Chtd.
Holland + Knight LLP
Hughes, Socol, Piers, Resnick & Dym, Ltd.
Krasnow Saunders Cornblath LLP
Michael Kreloff, Attorney at Law
Loevy & Loevy
Meites Mulder Mollica & Glink
Metroplex, Inc.
Miller Shakman & Beem LLP
Northern Trust Company
Reed Smith LLP
Schiff Hardin LLP
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP
Torshen Slobig Genden Dragutinovich & Axel, Ltd.