Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice | State of Illinois Office of the Illinois Courts "Equal justice for all" is one of our state's most proudly proclaimed principles. Yet, a large number of Illinoisans—often with urgent and important issues at stake—find themselves without legal assistance to help them with their legal problems. The legal aid and pro bono system in Illinois is able to address only a small fraction of the civil legal problems encountered by low-income and vulnerable Illinoisans. For unrepresented individuals, equal access to justice is nowhere close to a reality. The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice was created by the Illinois Supreme Court in June 2012 to "promote, facilitate and enhance equal access to justice with an emphasis on access to the Illinois civil courts and administrative agencies for all people, particularly the poor and vulnerable." Illinois Supreme Court Rule 10-100. Grant Opportunities Access to Justice Improvement Grant - Policy Reducing Barriers to Meaningful Participation in Court Grant - Policy Disability Accessibility Improvement Grant - Policy Strategic Plans 2023 - 2028 Strategic Plan 2020 - 2023 Strategic Plan 2017 - 2020 Strategic Plan Newsletters Illinois Court Help celebrates four years of empowering court users - Courts Connect May 2025 "Your Rights When Accessing Illinois Courts”: Commission on Access to Justice announces new resource - Courts Connect May 2025 Ten years of the Safe Harbor Policy - Courts Connect April 2025ATJ Commission awards grants to agencies to reduce barriers to meaningful participation in court - Courts Connect April 2025Increasing court access through local libraries - Courts Connect April 2025ATJ Commission Hosts Law Student Leaders – Access to Justice Summit - Courts Connect March 2025 Photo Gallery Advancing Fairness and respect: New Bench Cards Support Gender Inclusivity in Illinois Courts - Courts Connect March 2025 ATJ Commission Awards Reception 2025 Meet Lex: Illinois Court Help’s Chatbot - Courts Connect Article January 2025 ATJ Commission Awards Grants to Local Courts to Improve Disability Access - Courts Connect Article January 2025 Access to Justice Commission Announces Winners of Colman and Kilbride Awards - Courts Connect Article November 2024 2025 Language Access Updates - Courts Connect Article November 2024 Giving Thanks to Access to Justice Champions - Courts Connect Article November 2024 Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice Receives Justice Innovation Award - Courts Connect Article Oct. 2024New Supreme Court Forms Published to Enhance Access to Justice - Courts Connect Article Sept. 2024Illinois Contingent Attends SRLN Conference - Courts Connect Article Sept. 2024Access to Justice Improvement Grant Awards Break the $2 Million Mark - Courts Connect Article Aug. 2024Illinois Court Help: Celebrating Growth and Welcoming New Court Guides - Courts Connect Article Aug. 2024Disability Pride Month a perfect Time for First Court Disability Training Sessions - Courts Connect Article July 2024New Eviction Form Sets Enhance Access to Justice for Self-Represented Litigants in Illinois - Courts Connect Article July 2024New Civil Fee Waiver Forms Reflect Recent Amendments to Rule 298 - Courts Connect Article Mar. 2024 December 2023 ATJ NewsletterThe Access to Justice Commission Awards Frants Across the State - Courts Connect Article Aug. 2023 Celebrating Two years of Illinois Court HelpHighlighting 3 Important Initiatives of the Access to Justice Commission - Chief’s Column April 2023 April 2023 ATJ Newsletter November 2022 10 Year Reflections Newsletter July 2022 ATJ Newsletter April 2022 ATJ Newsletter January 2022 ATJ Newsletter September 2021 ATJ Newsletter June 2021 ATJ Newsletter March 2021 Special ATJ Newsletter Honoring Justice Thomas L. Kilbride November 2020 ATJ Newsletter July 2020 ATJ Newsletter April 2020 ATJ Newsletter September 2019 ATJ Newsletter May 2019 ATJ Newsletter Reports First Judicial Circuit Remote Appearance Project—Summary First Judicial Circuit Remote Appearance Project—Final Report Improving the E-Filing Experience for Self-Represented Litigants in Illinois Illinois Justice for All Access to and Meaningful Participation in Family Court May 2022 Illinois Justice for All Access to and Meaningful Participation in Family Court December 2020 First Appellate District Pilot Project July 2020 Awards 2024 Jeffrey D. Colman Access to Justice Award - Nominations 2024 Justice Thomas L. Kilbride (Ret.) Judicial Access to Justice Award – Nominations 2023 Jeffrey D. Colman Access to Justice Awardee—Nicole Ticknor 2023 Justice Thomas L. Kilbride (Ret.) Judicial Access to Justice Awardee—Justice Mary K. Rochford 2020-2022 Jeffrey D. Colman Access to Justice Awardees—2020 Judge Michael Fiello & Judge Catherine Schneider, 2021 Halle Cox, 2022 Melissa Piccola Reflections: 2012-2022 Reflections 2012-22 Committee Members Chair Hon. Jorge L. Ortiz Circuit Judge, 19th Judicial Circuit Supreme Court Liaison Justice David K. Overstreet Illinois Supreme Court Members Carolyn H. Clift Attorney at Law (Ret.) Linda T. Coberly Winston & Strawn LLP Hon. Allison Conlon Circuit Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County Hon. Thomas M. Harris, Jr. Justice, Illinois Appellate Court Sally McDonald Attorney at Law (Ret.) Kathy McNamara Juvenile Probation Officer Hon. Chloé G. Pedersen Circuit Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County Hon. Sanjay Tailor Justice, Illinois Appellate Court Wendy Vaughn Clinical Associate Professor, Northern Illinois University College of Law Andrew M. Weaver Senior Supervising Attorney, Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation AOIC Staff Contact Alison Spanner Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts Access to Justice Division 222 N. LaSalle Street, 13th Floor Chicago, IL 60601 Email: aspanner@illinoiscourts.gov Phone: 312.793.3859