Latest News - Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts

The Stories Behind Criminal Justice Debt, pt.1

** For the rest of August, we will be sharing personal stories of those affected by criminal justice debt to show the impact of court costs, fines, and fees on individuals and families in Illinois. If you would like to see the bi-partisan bill HB 4594-The Criminal and Traffic Assessment Act, be sign...

Protecting Immigration Court Due Process

Protecting Immigration Court Due Process: A Policy Statement from the Immigration Court Reform Program Committee of the Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice and the Chicago Council of Lawyers Prepared by PILI Fellow Vinita Singh...

An Appellate Case Concerning Fines and Fees

Chicago Appleseed and Chicago Council of Lawyers have been advocating for reform to Illinois’ system of imposing court fees, costs and fines on defendants and civil litigants for years. The systems are burdensome and arbitrary, and unfairly fund the costs of trial by burdening the state Constitution...

Due Process Must Be Protected

--Sadaf Misbah, summer fellow at Chicago Appleseed Over the weekend, President Trump proposed depriving undocumented immigrants of their due-process rights. In this message via Twitter, the President announced his intention to implement “zero tolerance” when it comes to immigrants crossing...

Illinois Takes First Step in Criminal Justice Debt Reform With Passage of HB 4594- The Criminal and Traffic Assessment Act

On May 31st, HB 4594- The Criminal and Traffic Assessment Act passed the Illinois General Assembly with broad bi-partisan support. It is currently on its way to the Governor’s desk for signing. HB 4594 reforms Illinois’ system of court costs, fines, and fees and reduces the burden of court costs, f...