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.).
- 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.