About Elizabeth Monkus

Elizabeth Monkus (she/her) is the Senior Attorney & Project Director for Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts. Elizabeth came to Chicago Appleseed in 2010 to manage the Judicial Performance Commission Demonstration project. She currently focuses on domestic relations and judicial elections in her program work.

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...
June 28, 2018

Associate Judge Process Has Potential but Diversity Still not Optimal

Improving diversity on the bench requires critical assessment of how judges are elected and selected; citizen oversight and participation is necessary. We believe the associate judge process this year is a reminder toward vigilance in improving representation on the bench, but we do not believe it i...
June 12, 2018

Joint Statement Against Reinstatement of the Death Penalty in Illinois

Following the advancement of House Floor Amendment 1 to SB 2580, a wrong-headed measure to reinstate the death penalty in Illinois, Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice and Chicago Council of Lawyers release the following statement in opposition:   Joint Statement Against Reinstating the Death P...
May 22, 2018

The Case for Digital Recording in Cook County

Injustice Watch did some great reporting on the consequences to self-represented people when there is no proper court record of their hearings—particularly in eviction court. Chicago Appleseed has been working with LAF, Cabrini Green Legal Aid, CARPLS, Center for Disability and Elder Law, Chicago Vo...
April 30, 2018
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