and fees Archives - Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts

NEW REPORT | I Don’t Know Why I’m Here: Observations from Cook County’s Civil Asset Forfeiture Courtrooms

Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts and the Chicago Council of Lawyers are excited to announce the release of our newest court-watching report, I Don't Know Why I'm Here: Observations from Cook County's Civil Asset Forfeiture Courtrooms. From March to August of 2022, our volunteer court-wat...

The Collaboration for Justice Joins the Free to Drive Coalition as Amici in Mendoza et al. v Stickler

The Civil Rights Corps and the National Center for Law and Economic Justice have filed a brief on behalf of Free to Drive Coalition members in support of the plaintiffs in Mendoza et al. v Stickler. Chicago Appleseed and Chicago Council of Lawyers (the Collaboration for Justice) have joined as amici...

Testimony to the IL Supreme Court Statutory Court Fees Task Force: Fines and Fees Perpetuate Inequality as Opposed to Serving Justice (August 30)

On August 30, 2022, Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts' social work intern, CJ Beck, provided testimony at a public hearing held by Illinois Statutory Court Fees Task Force. The public hearing was called so community members could provide testimony on the Task Force's draft report on the "Impl...

January 21, 2022: Public Comments to Chicago City Council’s Public Safety Committee in Opposition to the “Victims Justice Ordinance” (VJO)

On Friday, January 21, 2022, Program Manager & Policy Analyst for Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts and the Chicago Council of Lawyers, Hanna Sharif-Kazemi, provided comments to the Chicago City Council's Public Safety Committee in opposition of Mayor Lightfoot's proposed "Victims Justice...

Chicago City Council must vote NO on the Mayor’s proposed civil asset forfeiture ordinance (O2021-4130)

Chicago's Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a plan to “start suing gang members to ‘take their assets’” in an attempt to curb community violence. Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts and the Chicago Council of Lawyers view the Mayor’s “Victims’ Justice Ordinance” (O2021-4130) as a misguided and reg...

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