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.
