[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” content_placement=”middle” textcolor=”skin” equalheight=”true” css=”.vc_custom_1764181053581{background-color: #FFFFFF !important;}”][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts is a community-driven advocacy organization using research to interrupt cycles of poverty, mass incarceration, and racial injustices inherent to the legal system.” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:40|text_align:left|color:%23000000|line_height:1.1″ use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1782742457319{margin-top: -10px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1758570281447{padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”]

We’re fighting to reduce the harms of the criminal and civil legal system by conducting mixed-methods action research, supporting grassroots advocacy with empirical evidence, and helping people and communities meaningfully engage with the system and access their rights.

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2026 FALL FUNDRAISER

Join us on November 12th to kick off our celebration of 30 years fighting for fair courts!

[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”What we do” size=”lg” i_align=”right” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-solid fa-arrow-right-long” css=”.vc_custom_1764181792101{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}” add_icon=”true” custom_onclick=”true” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagoappleseed.org%2Fabout-us%2F%23education|target:_blank”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” content_placement=”middle” textcolor=”skin” css=”.vc_custom_1758571000990{margin-top: -5px !important;border-top-width: -5px !important;padding-top: -5px !important;border-top-style: solid !important;border-radius: 1px !important;border-color: #000000 !important;}”][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”We’re bridging the gap between the courts, lawmakers, lawyers, and the public to create long-lasting institutional change.” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:30|text_align:left|color:%23000000|line_height:1.1″ use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1758570449065{margin-top: -10px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1784325112855{margin-bottom: 20px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”]

Our work considers legal system issues through a systemic lens, focusing our work on issues of decarceration and diversion, economic accessibility, court transparency, and community autonomy.

[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”Our focus areas” size=”lg” align=”left” i_align=”right” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-solid fa-arrow-right-long” css=”.vc_custom_1764182588505{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 30px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}” add_icon=”true” custom_onclick=”true” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagoappleseed.org%2Ffocus-areas%2F|title:Focus%20Areas|target:_blank” el_class=”focus”][vc_row_inner equal_height=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1764181546545{margin-top: -10px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″ css=”.vc_custom_1764181475771{margin-top: 10px !important;margin-right: 5px !important;margin-bottom: 10px !important;margin-left: 10px !important;padding-top: 20px !important;background-color: #FFFFFF !important;}”][vc_text_separator title=”DECARCERATION & DIVERSION” title_align=”separator_align_left” color=”black” border_width=”2″ css=””][vc_single_image image=”17871″ img_size=”400×400″ alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded” onclick=”custom_link” css=”.vc_custom_1758570865202{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-left: 10px !important;border-right-width: 10px !important;border-left-width: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;}” link=”https://www.chicagoappleseed.org/focus-areas/#decarceration”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1758222341666{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-left: 10px !important;border-right-width: 10px !important;border-left-width: 10px !important;}”]

Our decarceration and diversion projects focus on shrinking the reach and impact of the criminal legal system and proposing alternatives to criminalization and incarceration.

[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”Details” size=”sm” i_align=”right” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-solid fa-arrow-right-long” css=”.vc_custom_1758570851178{margin-top: -10px !important;margin-right: 10px !important;margin-left: 10px !important;padding-top: -10px !important;}” add_icon=”true” custom_onclick=”true” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagoappleseed.org%2Ffocus-areas%2F%23decarceration|target:_blank”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″ css=”.vc_custom_1764181462813{margin-top: 10px !important;margin-right: 5px !important;margin-bottom: 10px !important;margin-left: 5px !important;padding-top: 20px !important;background-color: #FFFFFF !important;}”][vc_text_separator title=”ECONOMIC ACCESSIBILITY” title_align=”separator_align_left” color=”black” border_width=”2″ css=””][vc_single_image image=”19544″ img_size=”400×400″ alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded” onclick=”custom_link” css=”.vc_custom_1758570903406{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-left: 10px !important;border-right-width: 10px !important;border-left-width: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;}” link=”https://www.chicagoappleseed.org/focus-areas/#economic-accessibility/”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1758222330123{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-left: 10px !important;border-right-width: 10px !important;border-left-width: 10px !important;}”]

Our economic accessibility projects focus on interrupting the cycle of poverty that the courts create and perpetuate by extracting wealth from communities and criminalizing poverty.

[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”Details” size=”sm” i_align=”right” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-solid fa-arrow-right-long” css=”.vc_custom_1758570915041{margin-top: -10px !important;margin-right: 10px !important;margin-left: 10px !important;padding-top: -10px !important;}” add_icon=”true” custom_onclick=”true” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagoappleseed.org%2Ffocus-areas%2F%23economic-accessibility%2F|target:_blank”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″ css=”.vc_custom_1764181491132{margin-top: 10px !important;margin-right: 5px !important;margin-bottom: 10px !important;margin-left: 5px !important;padding-top: 20px !important;background-color: #FFFFFF !important;}”][vc_text_separator title=”COURT TRANSPARENCY” title_align=”separator_align_left” color=”black” border_width=”2″ css=””][vc_single_image image=”19543″ img_size=”400×400″ alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded” onclick=”custom_link” css=”.vc_custom_1758570922084{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-left: 10px !important;border-right-width: 10px !important;border-left-width: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;}” link=”https://www.chicagoappleseed.org/focus-areas/#court-transparency/”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1758222323573{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-left: 10px !important;border-right-width: 10px !important;border-left-width: 10px !important;}”]

Our court transparency projects focus on improving access to information about the court system so that the public can effectively engage with and hold the legal system accountable.

[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”Details” size=”sm” i_align=”right” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-solid fa-arrow-right-long” css=”.vc_custom_1758207414048{margin-top: -10px !important;margin-right: 10px !important;margin-left: 10px !important;padding-top: -10px !important;}” add_icon=”true” custom_onclick=”true” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagoappleseed.org%2Fcourt-transparency%2F|target:_blank”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″ css=”.vc_custom_1764181507840{margin-top: 10px !important;margin-right: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 10px !important;margin-left: 5px !important;padding-top: 20px !important;background-color: #FFFFFF !important;}”][vc_text_separator title=”COMMUNITY AUTONOMY” title_align=”separator_align_left” color=”black” border_width=”2″ css=””][vc_single_image image=”17807″ img_size=”400×400″ alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded” onclick=”custom_link” css=”.vc_custom_1758570895493{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-left: 10px !important;border-right-width: 10px !important;border-left-width: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;}” link=”https://www.chicagoappleseed.org/focus-areas/#community-autonomy/”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1758222352183{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-left: 10px !important;border-right-width: 10px !important;border-left-width: 10px !important;}”]

Our community autonomy projects focus on equipping the community with the knowledge necessary to navigate and meaningfully engage with the legal system and access their rights.

[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”Details” size=”sm” i_align=”right” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-solid fa-arrow-right-long” css=”.vc_custom_1758570884917{margin-top: -10px !important;margin-right: 10px !important;margin-left: 10px !important;padding-top: -10px !important;}” add_icon=”true” custom_onclick=”true” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagoappleseed.org%2Ffocus-areas%2F%23community-autonomy%2F|target:_blank”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” full_height=”yes” columns_placement=”top” css=”.vc_custom_1758570729462{margin-top: -5px !important;margin-bottom: 20px !important;border-top-width: -5px !important;padding-top: -5px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;background-color: #FFFFFF !important;border-top-style: solid !important;border-radius: 1px !important;border-color: #000000 !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_btn title=”Latest news and press” color=”black” size=”lg” align=”left” css=”.vc_custom_1764182654860{margin-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}” button_block=”true” custom_onclick=”true” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagoappleseed.org%2Fpress-media%2F|title:Latest%20news%20and%20press|target:_blank”][vc_btn title=”More” align=”left” i_align=”right” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-solid fa-arrow-right-long” css=”.vc_custom_1764182617996{margin-top: -5px !important;margin-bottom: 30px !important;padding-top: -5px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}” add_icon=”true” custom_onclick=”true” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chicagoappleseed.org%2Fpress-media%2F|title:Latest%20news%20and%20press|target:_blank”][vc_column_text css=””]https://www.chicagoappleseed.org/2026/09/18/2026-future-justice-lawyers-of-chicago-student-reports-available-now/[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/07/16/report-detention-judges/?clearUserState=true[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]https://www.chicagoappleseed.org/2026/07/02/new-brief-our-hands-are-tied/[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]https://www.chicagoreporter.com/illinois-ended-cash-bail-who-gets-held-before-trial-in-2026/[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text css=””]https://www.chicagoappleseed.org/2026/07/17/new-report-uses-court-watching-to-evaluate-the-implementation-of-the-pretrial-fairness-act/[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]https://www.chicagoappleseed.org/2026/07/17/elizabeth-monkus-reflects-on-time-with-chicago-appleseed/[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/20/eileen-oneill-burke-appleseed-report/[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html css=”” el_id=”pop-up”]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]