policy statement Archives - Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts

What We’re Supporting This Legislative Session—Spring 2026

As the Illinois Legislature settles into its spring session, advocates have begun sharing legislative priorities and asking for individuals and organizations to support pending legislation. Chicago Appleseed is supporting a number of bills, listed below, focused on court transparency, family courts,...

NEW REPORT—What We Don’t Know About the Courts: The Far-Reaching Consequences of the Judicial Exemption to the FOIA in Illinois

In our newly published report, What We Don’t Know About the Courts: The Far-Reaching Consequences of the Judicial Exemption to the FOIA in Illinois, Chicago Appleseed explains the judicial exemption from Illinois’ Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and this exemption’s broad consequences for data tra...

Cook County State’s Attorney Expands Felony Review Bypass Program Citywide

Since January, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office (CCSAO) has been piloting a policy that limits due process rights for people accused of unlicensed gun possession. On Friday, they announced that they will be expanding this policy from two police districts to the entire city, handing off...

Common Law Privilege Barring Civil Arrests at Courthouses Reaffirmed by General Order in Cook County & Steps for Statewide Expansion

Chief Judge Evans has issued a General Administrative Order (GAO), effective today, asserting the common law privilege against civil arrests of people attending court in the Circuit Court of Cook County. The order states that no one attending court, as a witness or otherwise, "will be subjected...

The Results Are In: Forensic Labs Under Prosecutorial Control Are Problematic

UPDATE: September 29, 2025 | A previous version of this post said that if the Board of Commissioners grants the funding request, "the CCSAO would no longer rely on the ISP Crime Lab for forensic support." A representative of the State's Attorney's Office provided the following clarification: "The fo...

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