Courts
Reducing barriers for people going to court without lawyers and making the court system more fair, accessible, and welcoming for everyone.
Court Advocacy Strategies
The CBF’s efforts to help people without lawyers include connecting people with referral information and self-help services, supporting court-based programs and services, and advocating for user-friendly court policies and procedures.
Court Programs & Services
The CBF provides funding, coordination, and other support to court-based programs and services that expand access to legal assistance for people going to court without lawyers.
01.
Cook County Legal Aid for Housing & Debt
CCLAHD provides a central legal hotline and free legal assistance, case management, and mediation for residents and landlords dealing with eviction issues, individuals with consumer debt issues, and homeowners facing foreclosure and tax deed issues.
02.
Illinois JusticeCorps
An innovative program that recruits college students and recent graduates to help people without lawyers navigate the court system by providing referrals to legal aid, procedural information, and assistance with filling out and filing court documents.
03.
Resource Center for People without Lawyers
A centralized hub of services to support people without lawyers, offering navigational assistance, information about court procedure, free consultations with lawyers, help finding and completing court forms, and referrals to legal aid and other service providers.
04.
Court Access Library Centers
Recognizing libraries as important community hubs for information and assistance, new Court Access Library Centers will provide new resources to help people access the court system and related resources in their own communities throughout the state.
CBF Help Desk & Court Service Partners
In partnership with the courts and several legal aid partners, the CBF helped launch and continues to support a network of help desks and court services based in courthouses throughout Cook County that offer everything from quick advice before court to document preparation to limited scope representation, collectively helping thousands of unpresented litigants each year.
Municipal Court Advice Desk | CARPLS
Chancery Advice Desk | Greater Chicago Legal Clinic
Adult Guardianship Help Desk | Center for Disability & Elder Law
Mediation Services | Center for Conflict Resolution
Expungement Help Desk | Cabrini Green Legal Aid
Administrative Hearings Advice Desk | CARPLS
Domestic Relations Advice Desk | CARPLS
Domestic Relations Advice Desk (Markham) | Legal Aid Society
Eviction Help Desk (Markham)| Legal Aid Chicago
Minor Guardianship Help Desk | Chicago Volunteer Legal Services
Bankruptcy Advice Desk | Legal Aid Chicago
Hibbler Federal District Court Help Desk |Uptown People’s Law Center
Pro Se Advisory Committee
The CBF and the Circuit Court of Cook County jointly created the Pro Se Advisory Committee to bring together court stakeholders to support the growing number of people going to court without lawyers. The Committee is co-chaired by Judge Jill C. Marisie, Presiding Judge of the Third Municipal District and Judge Toya Harvey of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Through their leadership and the diverse experience and expertise of the Committee’s members, the Committee helps improve coordination and effectiveness of services for people without lawyers.
Partnerships
The CBF works collaboratively with state and federal courts, other government entities, the legal community, and legal and pro bono partners to identify and address systemic challenges and coordinate services throughout the court system.
Circuit Court of Cook County
Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County
Cook County
Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice
Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts
Illinois Judicial Conference
National Center for State Courts
Chicago Bar Association
Illinois State Bar Association
Illinois Bar Foundation
Serve Illinois Commission
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Illinois
City of Chicago Department of Administrative Hearings