By Jill E. Roberts, Deputy Director, Access to Justice Division
First issued in late 2017, the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice (ATJ Commission) has now awarded a total of $2 million in grant funds to improve access to justice and services for self-represented litigants (SRLs) across the state.
Thousands of litigants appear in the Illinois courts without a lawyer every year. The growing number of SRLs in court is not unique to any one circuit, county, or case type. The ATJ Commission and the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts Access to Justice Division (ATJ Division) recognize, given the size and diversity of Illinois, that local partners are critical to fully understand and address the needs of the SRL population. For these reasons, the ATJ Commission created a grant program to increase local partnerships, the Access to Justice Improvement Grant.
In addition to distributing grant funds, local court staff also participate in a statewide Court Navigator Network (Network) to receive training and share ideas about improving access to justice. This year, the Network met August 19-21 via Zoom for orientation and covered topics such as an Illinois courts overview, information vs. legal advice, and plain language. The Network will continue to receive training throughout the year as well as have opportunities to collaborate and share resources with their counterparts across the state. If you are interested in joining the Network, please email Jill Roberts, Deputy Director, Access to Justice Division at jroberts@illinoiscourts.gov.
Although there are Network members from every Judicial Circuit, here is the list of this year’s newly awarded ATJ Improvement grant recipients and their grant projects:
- First Judicial Circuit:
- Brenda Sprague, Administrative Assistant to the Chief Judge, will serve all nine counties in the circuit to conduct an access to justice conference, launch a therapy dog program in Jackson County, expand the Lawyer in the Library program to three new locations, attend the SRLN conference, and support the Illinois JusticeCorps fellow with circuit-wide mileage costs.
- Massac County Circuit Clerk Marcus Grace will buy paper, ink, and printers to print statewide forms.
- Saline County Circuit Clerk’s Office staff Ashley Bryant will implement a text message reminder program and add a new computer space for SRLs.
- Union County Circuit Clerk Keri Clark will expand the Counsel in the Courthouse program, attend the SRLN Conference, and pay for copier, texting, supplies, and app maintenance.
- Second Judicial Circuit: Erica Summers, Administrative Assistant, maintain the Lawyer in the Library program to in four counties and expand to one new county.
- Third Judicial Circuit:
received two grant awards for:
- Law Librarian Angela Wille to continue domestic violence services and outreach, design and print literature for SRLs, obtain digital library materials, provide SRL convenience items, cover GAL and drug testing costs, and purchase a new copier.
- Madison County Circuit Clerk’s Office employee Susan Faulkner to continue previous resources (filing forms, text message reminders, Ad Gator digital screens, etc.).
- Fourth Judicial Circuit:
- Trial Court Administrator Jaime Warren will facilitate and support the Illinois JusticeCorps member’s travel throughout the circuit.
- Marion County Circuit Clerk Tiffany Schicker will improve signage inside and outside the courthouse.
- Fifth Judicial Circuit:
- Clark County Circuit Clerk Ami Shaw will rework the public access terminal area for court patrons.
- Cumberland County Circuit Clerk Rhonda Wilson will create a work station that is accessible to all.
- Sixth Judicial Circuit: Champaign County Circuit Clerk Susan McGrath will address communication barriers, provide public Westlaw access, and get a new laptop for the Self-Help Center.
- Eighth Judicial Circuit: Court Administrator Molly Caughlan will create SRL computer stations in each courthouse and provide cell phone locker storage.
- Ninth Judicial Circuit:
- Hancock County Circuit Clerk Keara Weber will provide printed forms for SRLs.
- Trial Court Administrator Sandy Redington will update the existing self-help station, create an additional station, provide a children's area and baby changing stations, and office supplies in Henderson County.
- Tenth Judicial Circuit:
- Jennifer Shadid, CFO, will oversee the hiring of a staff member in the Peoria Law Library and Self-Help Center.
- Court Administrator Tricia Richmond will improve help staff the library and self-help center in Tazewell County.
- Eleventh Judicial Circuit: Library Staff Mary Sellmyer will obtain iPads for language access, cell phone lockers, and baby changing stations for McLean County.
- Twelfth Judicial Circuit: Court Staff Anne Swanson will continue facilitating a Lawyer in the Library program for small claims, child support/custody, and expungement.
- Thirteenth Judicial Circuit:
- Bureau County Circtui Clerk Dawn Reglin will print forms, utilize lobby docket, run a mobile app, use a text message reminder program, and update the SRL filing stations.
- LaSalle County Circtui Clerk staff Diane Lebeau-Gerber will expand the offerings of the self-help center and SRL resources and use digital monitors with docket information.
- Trial Court Administrator Lori Wakeman will create a self-represented litigant help center with staff and to compensate court-appointed mediators in SRL involved cases in LaSalle County.
- Fifteenth Judicial Circuit: Stephenson County Circuit Clerk Shanelle Bardell will obtain monitors for the daily docket and print statewide forms sets.
- Sixteenth Judicial Circuit: Law Librarian Halle Eichert continue Lawyer in the Library and Lawyer in the Lobby programs and improve materials for SRLs.
- Seventeenth Judicial Circuit: Deputy TCA Kim Ackmann will obtain software for legal dictation, update public access terminals and digital docket signage in Winnebago and create public access terminals in Boone.
- Eighteenth Judicial Circuit:
- DuPage County Circuit Clerk’s office staff Jesse Goehl will continue the text message reminder program and digital monitors, and to create and deploy a customer satisfaction survey.
- Court staff Alyssa Fortino will fund the Family Engagement Mediation Program with CASA.
- Nineteenth Judicial Circuit: Beth Bogie will continue the early resolution program for divorces (in partnership with Prairie State Legal Services) and continue an online chat function on the court’s website.
- Twentieth Judicial Circuit: St. Clair County Law Librarian Karina Santos will enhance services in the Law Library for an interactive Zoom room and additional private workstations.
- Twenty-First Judicial Circuit: Trial Court Administrator Lori Wolf and Administrative Assistant to the Chief Judge Heather Ruel will continue to provide Westlaw access for SRLs and order OP carbonless forms.
- Twenty-Third Judicial Circuit: Marilyn Stromborg and Benji Meier from the DeKalb County Circuit Clerk’s Office, will expand the offerings of the self-help center by expanding technology throughout the courthouse, continuing to support the SHC, expand partnerships, and evaluate equipment/supplies.
- Twenty-Fourth Judicial Circuit:
- Monroe County Circuit Clerk’s office staff member Sheila Jerls will create workspace for SRLs.
- Trial Court Administrator Jeff Twardowski and Perry County Circuit Clerk Kim Kellerman will enhance court facilities with office furniture and technology and self-help center supplies.
- Randolph County Circuit Clerk Julie Carnahan will u improve the self-help center with Westlaw and other software, supplies, and courthouse seating.
- Trial Court Administrator Jeff Twardowski and Administrative Assistant to the Chief Judge Lynn Combs will add additional monitors and technology equipment, office chairs, and software to the self-help center.
- Circuit Court of Cook County:
- Circuit Clerk’s Offices staff Sam Williams will improve the self-help center and will attend the SRLN conference.
- Office of the Chief Judge’s staff Lanice Mitchell will improve the current space of the Resource Center for People without Lawyers at the Daley Center.
- District 3 – Rolling Meadows: will fund an advice desk for SRL court calls for Judge Rossanna Fernandez with Legal Aid Society.
- District 4 - Maywood: Audrey Garner will continue to oversee a partnership with Chicago Volunteer Legal Services for a help desk for Judge Tzinberg’s court call.
Please join us in congratulating all ATJ Commission grant recipients and encouraging their efforts to make Illinois courts better, easier, and more accessible for self-represented litigants. If you have any questions or are interested in joining the Network, please email Jill Roberts at jroberts@illinoiscourts.gov.