civil courts Archives - Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts

Understanding Barriers to Representation for Civil Contempt in Child Support Cases & Examining Rule 13.8(b)

Parents who fail to pay court-ordered child support can face a range of penalties, including civil contempt of court and misdemeanor or felony charges, which could result in fines or even incarceration. The data is incomplete, but it's estimated that at an average of 50,000 parents (mainly fathers)...

NEW Court-Watching Report – Evicted in the Dark: Findings & Observations from Cook County Eviction Courts

Chicago Appleseed is excited to announce the publication of Evicted in the Dark: Findings & Observations from Cook County Eviction Courts, our newest court-watching report! The report, completed with support from our partners at the Chicago Foundation for Women, relies on findings from thousa...

Governor Pritzker has Signed HB 1628 into Law, Strengthening Data Collection & Transparency in Civil Asset Forfeiture Practices

https://www.chicagoappleseed.org/2025/05/27/hb1628-a-step-toward-enhancing-data-collection-and-transparency-in-reporting-civil-asset-forfeiture/ On Friday, August 15th, 2025, Governor Pritzker signed HB1628 into law with an effective date of January 1st, 2026. The legislation, led by State Repre...

BREAKING – HB 1628 Passes, Marking an Important Step Toward Data Collection and Transparency in Reporting Civil Asset Forfeiture Practices

Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts is celebrating the passage of Illinois House Bill 1628, an important step toward enhancing data collection and transparency in reporting in civil asset forfeiture practices. This bill builds on reforms from 2018 to the civil asset forfeiture reporting process...

Civil Courts Committee (C3) Quarterly Meeting

The Collaboration for Justice program committees of Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts and the Chicago Council of Lawyers meet quarterly to assist with our research and advocacy projects that identify and address systemic issues. The Civil Courts Committee (C3) will have it's quarterly meetin...