11.18.09 Progress through Partnership
E-newsletter for members and friends of Chicago Appleseed and the Chicago Council of Lawyers
Program News and Next Steps
Chicago Appleseed and the Chicago Council of Lawyers work collaboratively on a variety of issues, often with Chicago Appleseed taking the lead on focused research, followed by advocacy that is done by both organizations.
Criminal Justice Project
With the generous assistance of the Chicago Community Trust, we are continuing to implement the recommendations detailed in Chicago Appleseed's comprehensive examination of Chicago's felony trial courtrooms. For example, we've:
Successfully negotiated the end of videoconferencing in bond court.
Successfully negotiated the creation of a pretrial services program in bond court.
Created an ongoing court watching program at the Criminal Courts Building.
Following our call for more Criminal Division judges, five additional judges were assigned to the Criminal Courts Building at 26th and California.
We are now working with the Circuit Court of Cook County, the Office of the Cook County Public Defender, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, the Cook County Adult Probation Department, and the Office of the Cook County Sheriff to implement our comprehensive proposal to establish a division of the Circuit Court dedicated to diverting non-violent offenders into special programming and out of the criminal justice system.
Immigration Court Reform
Chicago Appleseed with national Appleseed and its pro bono partners, Latham & Watkins LLC and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP released a comprehensive report on the immigration courts, Assembly Line Injustice. We have begun negotiations with national officials concerning the report's 34 recommendations. The Chicago Council of Lawyers will be working with Chicago Appleseed on advocating for the implementation of these recommendations.
As part of the advocacy efforts, Chicago Appleseed and Chicago Council of Lawyers co-sponsored a public forum on immigration court reform on October 29, 2009 at Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Judicial Election Reform
With the generous financial assistance of the Joyce Foundation, we are about to launch the Judicial Performance Commission Pilot Project. The Commission will assess the qualifications of judges seeking retention in the November 2010 election, utilizing a commission comprised of lawyer and non-lawyer community leaders and a comprehensive judicial evaluation process that includes both mail surveys and personal interviews.
Discount for Friends of the Council at the Four Seasons Chicago
The Four Seasons Hotel Chicago is celebrating the Chicago Council of Lawyers' 40th Anniversary!
For a limited time, the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago is offering a special discount to friends of the Chicago Council of Lawyers. Book any 55 minute or longer spa treatment between 9am and 6pm, Monday through Thursday, and receive a $30.00 discount when you mention the Council's 40th Anniversary. This deal is only good from October 1 to December 31, so take advantage of this special offer now! To book your spa treatment, call the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago at (312) 649-2340.