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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

  Disability Accessibility Improvement Grant - Policy

  Access to Justice Improvement Grant - Policy

  Reducing Barriers to Meaningful Participation in Court Grant - Policy

Strategic Plans

  2023 - 2028 Strategic Plan
  2020 - 2023 Strategic Plan
  2017 - 2020 Strategic Plan

Newsletters

Reports

Awards

Reflections: 2012-2022

 

Committee Members

Chair
Hon. Jorge L. Ortiz
Circuit Judge, 19th Judicial Circuit

Supreme Court Liaison
Justice David K. Overstreet
Illinois Supreme Court

Members

Kendric Cobb
Vice President, Chief Counsel, Kellanova

Linda T. Coberly
Winston & Strawn LLP

Hon. Allison Conlon
Circuit Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County

Hon. David L. Vancil, Jr.
Justice, Illinois Appellate Court, 4th District

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