Elizabeth Monkus -Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts

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. View all posts by Elizabeth Monkus →

Statement: After Hours Access to the Domestic Violence Court

The Domestic Violence Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County launched after-hours access, via remote proceedings, for Civil Emergency Orders of Protection this week. In addition to regular court hours, Monday to Friday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, remote hearings are now available Monday to Friday, 9:0...

Illinois Could Help Kids in State Custody by Providing “Expressed Interest” Representation

Each year in the state of Illinois, children in youth jails and prisons are released by judges and yet continue to remain incarcerated after adjudication because the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) cannot find suitable places for them to be released to. In 2015, the state of Il...

NEW REPORT | “Slipping Through the Cracks” – Evaluation of the Cook County Domestic Violence Division in Chicago

Since early 2020, Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts and the Chicago Council of Lawyers have been evaluating the Domestic Violence Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County, with a specific focus on the Domestic Violence Courthouse at 555 West Harrison in Chicago. Today, we release our find...

Primary Election Results: Voter Turnout was Low, but Judicial Races Weren’t Neglected

Preliminary results are in from the 2022 primary election in Illinois, which included a number of judicial races. Primary turn-out was disappointing – the “second-lowest for a modern-era primary” – with only 1-in-5 Chicago voters participating and suburban Cook County showing a similar turn-out rate...

Amicus in People v. Moore: There is no justice when access is random or when the rules are unpredictable

In May, Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts and Chicago Council of Lawyers joined an amicus brief submitted by the Children and Family Justice Center at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in the Illinois Supreme Court case, People v. Moore. Our Collaboration for Justice is proud to add our sup...

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