Court Costs, Fines, and Fees Are Bad Policy

Across the country, regressive court fines, administrative costs, and filing fees are functioning to penalize people solely for their poverty. Court costs, fines, and fees (also known as “monetary sanctions”) exist in both the civil and criminal realms of the justice system and are applied in al...
July 23, 2020

Report: The 2012 Judicial Performance Commission

The 2012 Judicial Performance Commission of Cook County (JPC or Commission) has completed its evaluations of the Circuit Court and Appellate Court Judges whose terms expire this year. The Report is available here as a .pdf download. Each judge’s report consists of a professional biography (compiled...
October 11, 2012

Report: Strategies to Enhance and Coordinate Cook County Diversion Programs

We are pleased to announce the release of our latest report: "Strategies to Enhance and Coordinate Cook County Diversion Programs." Take a look at the Full Report or the Executive Summary to learn about ways for Cook County to employ a smarter, more effective, cost efficient system of administering...
June 28, 2012

Report Release: Reimagining the Immigration Court Assembly Line

The Obama administration has made progress in improving the U.S. immigration court system, but much remains to be done, according to Reimagining the Immigration Court Assembly Line, a report by public interest justice centers Appleseed and Chicago Appleseed with pro bono counsel Akin Gump Strauss Ha...
May 31, 2012