What do we do?
Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts is a community-driven advocacy organization using mixed-methods research approaches to interrupt cycles of poverty, mass incarceration, and racial injustice inherent to the legal system.
Our areas of focus are court transparency, decarceration, economic accessibility, and community autonomy. We bridge the gap between the legal system, legislators, lawyers, and community members so that the public has the resources necessary to effectively access their rights and advocate for accountability, transparency, and equity in the courts.
We consider court issues with a systemic lens—recognizing the interconnected systems that create inequitable outcomes for certain communities. For decades, Chicago Appleseed has been the leading local organization systematically collaborating with grassroots organizations, academics, journalists, and court system actors to strategically support community-led solutions to systemic problems with empirical evidence.
We conduct mixed methods action research.
Our advocacy-focused research practice is rigorous while still centered around making change. Our work is collaborative and community-informed, and we combine qualitative and quantitative approaches to understand the realities of the legal system in Chicago and Illinois which are so often hidden from the public.
Our research aims to accurately depict harms and injustices in the legal system and propose actionable recommendations when appropriate.
We support grassroots advocacy with empirical evidence.
We work in partnership with direct service providers, community organizations, and the court system itself to bring attention to and remove the systemic barriers to justice that make courts inaccessible and disadvantage low-income people. Everything we do is collaborative, guided by community-led initiatives, and informed by our research.
Our collective advocacy makes the courts fairer, more accessible, more transparent, and therefore more effective and equitable.
We help people meaningfully engage with the system and access their rights.
The legal system is confusing and opaque, with knowledge about the courts often restricted to people with law degrees (a population that is disproportionately older, male, and White—and not reflective of demographics of people most often navigating the system).
We work to demystify the court process for all community members, especially those who hold marginalized identities and as a result are more likely to be impacted by the legal system.
COEP
Our Court Observation & Education Program (COEP) increases community participation in civic processes by educating and equipping volunteers with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate courthouses and understand proceedings. We use data collected by court-watchers to supplement our research, which gives them a unique opportunity to contribute to our research and advocacy, and to offer solidarity to folks impacted by the system.
FJLOC
Our Future Justice Lawyers of Chicago (FJLOC) program champions the next generation of advocates by providing local undergraduate and high-school students who are interested in becoming public interest lawyers with mentorship and hands-on knowledge to support their personal and career growth.
Join Us!
Chicago Appleseed could not be effective in fighting for systemic change without the assistance of dedicated volunteers, supporters, and sustaining donors whose commitment to justice allows us to identify and address court system barriers in Cook County.
Click here to learn more about getting involved with Chicago Appleseed.
Fund for Justice (d/b/a Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts) is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization and recognized as a public charity under 509(a)(2) (later modified to 509(a)(3) of the Code). Our Federal tax exempt employer identification number is 23-7059214.
Click here to view Chicago Appleseed’s 990s.
Chicago Appleseed is part of a national network of public interest law centers working through and with Appleseed in Washington, D.C.