By Edward Siemer, Child Welfare Attorney, Courts, Children and Families Division
The Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC), through its Courts, Children and Families Division, and the Illinois Court Improvement Program’s ad hoc Committee on Parent Representation, with the support of the Illinois Supreme Court, are pleased to announce the commencement of a statewide Appellate Registry to help address shortages in appointed appellate counsel for respondent parents in juvenile abuse and neglect cases, including termination of parental rights proceedings. The Registry is intended to serve as a supplemental statewide resource for Illinois jurisdictions that need assistance identifying qualified appellate counsel in these matters.
The project responds to a clear and growing need. In a survey of juvenile court judges, 51% of respondents reported that their courts lacked a sufficient number of attorneys available to represent respondent parents on appeal in juvenile abuse and neglect cases. The challenge is especially acute in Illinois “legal deserts,” where many counties face broader shortages in available attorneys, and the number of lawyers is too limited to meet local demand.
Supporting data underscore this challenge even further: of Illinois’ 102 counties, 98 have fewer than two lawyers per 1,000 residents, and 24 counties have five or fewer private practice lawyers in total. Of 8,327 Illinois resident attorneys admitted to practice in the last four years, 7,625 (91.6%) are practicing in Cook, Lake, McHenry, Kane, DuPage, Kendall, Grundy, Will, and Kankakee Counties.
The Registry will be maintained by the AOIC Courts, Children and Families Division. Attorneys who meet the minimum competency requirements may apply to join, and judges who choose to use the Registry may request assistance through a designated email address. The Division would then provide the judge with contact information for the next available attorney on the Registry, after which the appointing judge would enter an order of appointment. To help ensure fairness, referred attorneys would be rotated through the Registry for an equitable distribution of appointments.
Attorneys interested in joining the Registry must be licensed and in good standing to practice in Illinois, have a working knowledge of the Juvenile Court Act and applicable appellate procedures, and complete two required training webinars on effective appellate advocacy in termination of parental rights cases. Project materials note that attorneys do not need to have completed the training before applying but must do so prior to accepting appointments. Attorney fees for appointments made through the Registry will be paid by the appointing jurisdiction in accordance with applicable local rules. Illinois Supreme Court Rule 299 establishes a minimum hourly rate of $150 for court-appointed representation of indigent clients, though local practices may vary.
Because these appeals are expedited and rarely require oral argument, and because remote proceedings may be utilized when necessary, the Registry is designed to broaden the potential pool of appointed counsel beyond a single local jurisdiction and allow participation from lawyers in any county. In doing so, the initiative seeks to improve access to qualified appellate representation for families throughout the State.
Juvenile court judges requesting appointment assistance and attorneys seeking to apply may seek additional information by contacting Edward Siemer, Child Welfare Attorney, AOIC Courts, Children and Families Division, by email at jaappeals@illinoiscourts.gov. By building a statewide pool of attorneys willing to handle these appeals, the Appellate Registry represents an important step toward strengthening appellate advocacy in juvenile abuse and neglect cases and expanding access to justice for Illinois families.