Latest News - Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts

Then and Now: What Have We Learned from Chicago’s Past Attempts at Police Reform?

Published: November 3, 2020 By Elijah Gelman, Chicago Appleseed Intern For the third time in 14 years, Chicago is looking to overhaul its police oversight system. Two ordinances have been proposed: the Civilian Police Accountability Council (CPAC) and the Grassroots Alliance for Police Acc...

Testimony: Budget for Black Lives

The only way to reduce harm for Cook County's Black and Brown communities is by investing in resources and programs that help people thrive. Even with budget crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic, these investments are possible if Cook County commits to making significant divestments from Cook Cou...

Economic Advocacy (and More) Resources for Community Activists

Chicago Appleseed has created a hub of information for activists, legislators, researchers, journalists, and members of the public as they navigate the opaque court systems of Cook County and Illinois. With this collaborative effort, our goal is to support community empowerment through equitable acc...

Rethinking and Reinvesting in Justice – Thank You for Supporting October 2020 Virtual Forum Series!

Every October, the Collaboration for Justice of Chicago Appleseed & Chicago Council of Lawyers gathers for a luncheon to highlight the important systemic reform work our staff, interns, allies, and pro bono partners have done over the year. Because this year we couldn't gather in person, we...

One-Hour Access to Counsel in Police Stationhouses: A Cost-Saving Necessity

By Elijah Gelman, Chicago Appleseed Undergraduate Intern In January, Chicago Appleseed Senior Policy Analyst Sarah Staudt discussed the importance of newly proposed legislation cementing the right to counsel for every person arrested in Illinois within one-hour of arrest. Despite it being...