Illinois Appellate Court Archives - Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts

An Appellate Case Concerning Fines and Fees

Chicago Appleseed and Chicago Council of Lawyers have been advocating for reform to Illinois’ system of imposing court fees, costs and fines on defendants and civil litigants for years. The systems are burdensome and arbitrary, and unfairly fund the costs of trial by burdening the state Constitution...

Appellate Court Orders Hearings Before Bond Money is Taken, Review of Fines, Fees, and Costs

Last month, the Appellate Court of Illinois in the First District handed down a decision in Illinois v. Glass that reinforces the urgent need for reform regarding some of the primary avenue through which Illinois courts collect money from criminal defendants. In a ruling delivered by Justice Mikva,...

Who Ruled that Rahm Couldn’t Run?

Whenever big political decisions come before little known judges, all eyes are on the bench. Since 1970, the Chicago Council for Lawyers (Chicago Appleseed’s partner organization), has been reviewing the performance of judges serving on Cook County Circuit Courts, as well as 1st District Candidates...