Thank you for supporting our “Identifying Hidden Injustices” series!
Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts and the Chicago Council of Lawyers 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 volunteers research and advocate for policies and practices that ensure people without representation have the same opportunities for justice as those with the means to hire counsel.
The Cook County Circuit Court serves Chicago and the surrounding suburbs; it is the second-largest court system in the country, with more than 400 judges presiding over one million cases filed in both the criminal and civil courts each year. According to the National Legal Aid and Defender Association, approximately 80% of accused people cannot afford a lawyer and are, therefore, entitled a public defender; in Chicago, that number is even higher, with the Cook County Public Defender’s Office representing approximately 85% of adults and 95% of children facing prosecution. Most of these individuals are people of color — with 75% of people in Cook County Jail being Black and another 16% being Latine. According to the Illinois Supreme Court, about 75% of all civil legal cases in the state involve at least one party who does not have a lawyer. Today, over ten million people in the United States owe a debt to the court, totaling over $50 billion dollars collectively; in Cook County, 51% of people who owe money to the court have children and two-thirds have an annual income of less than $30,000.
Without equal access to legal representation, people do not have equal access to justice. These are just some of the insidious ways our courts systematically punish people for their poverty.
Our Collaboration is fighting to eliminate these injustices and make the system less harmful. We envision a legal system that is equitable, accessible, and fair to all people; efficient so justice is not delayed; and effective in achieving holistic solutions.
In the past 25 years, the Collaboration for Justice has promoted systemic reforms that improve both civil and criminal court processes, focusing on immigration and criminal justice reform, family law, police accountability, and projects in the federal courts. All of our work falls into one of these broad program areas, which are led by groups of between 10-120 volunteer lawyers, academics, and organizers who meet monthly and, cumulatively, provide thousands-of-hours of pro bono work for our collaborative initiatives annually.
Every year we gather to celebrate the accomplishments of our staff, community partners, and incredible volunteers; this year, we hosted a two-part online event focused on identifying hidden injustices in the legal system:
On October 5, our Senior Policy Analyst & Staff Attorney, Sarah Staudt, was joined by Illinois State Senator Robert Peters and Garien Gatewood of the Illinois Justice Project to discuss the Pretrial Fairness Act, how it came about, what challenges we face for implementation, and why abolishing money bail is essential to racial, gender, and economic justice.
On October 19, we featured two keynote speakers: first, Illinois Attorney General, Kwame Raoul discussed what the judicial, legislative, and executive responsibilities are in eliminating disparities and improving the Illinois Courts; then, Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, Honorable Anne Burke, discussed judicial redistricting in Illinois, the Illinois Supreme Court’s new centralized approach to pretrial programs, and what the judiciary can do to help ensure accessible justice for all.
To support the Collaboration for Justice of Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts and the Chicago Council of Lawyers, please consider making a tax deductible one-time donation or setting up monthly recurring contributions.
Get involved with the Collaboration by joining a committee, volunteering, or — if you’re a lawyer, judge, or paralegal — becoming a member of the Chicago Council of Lawyers.
Thank you to the sponsors of our October 2021 Identifying Hidden Injustices events:
Baker McKenzie, DLA Piper, Harrison & Held, Jones Day, Latham & Watkins, NeonOne, PwC, Schiff Hardin, Sidley Austin, Shook Hardy Bacon, Anonymous, Goldberg Kohn, Matt Daniels, Candice Korkis, Dr. Mary Pattillo, Laura Davis, Aviva Futorian, Emily Gilman, Sonya Naar, Malcolm Rich, Nicholas Siciliano, and Julia Waterhous.