By Marcia M. Meis, Director, Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts
Another year is already quickly coming to an end. Even if you cannot wait to wave goodbye to 2025 - which certainly had its share of tumultuous events - I offer some reminders of positive things that happened in the Illinois courts this year.
National Adoption Day
Often called the “happiest day of the year” in the court system, many courthouses celebrated National Adoption Day this past Saturday. It is wonderful to see dozens of children joined with parents and families in permanent homes. This special event uplifts everyone involved, including the judges and courthouse staff. Adoption ceremonies have been held or are scheduled to be held in the Wiliamson County Courthouse in Marion, the Richard J. Daley Center in Chicago, the Juvenile Court Facility in Rock Island, the Kane Coounty Courthouse in Geneva, the Winnebago County Criminal Justice Center in Rockford and the Madison County Courthouse in Edwardsville (Dec. 19).
Over the past 21 years, a total of 467 children were adopted into loving families in celebration of National Adoption Day in the 17th Judicial Circuit. “It is a great privilege to play a role in creating permanent, loving homes for the children and families involved in National Adoption Day. Today is truly a day of celebration,” said 17th Circuit Chief Judge John S. Lowry.
Williamson County welcomed 34 foster care children to its adoption ceremony this year. Judge Amanda Byassee Gott called it “a highlight of my time on the bench as a judge each year. As a juvenile judge, it is a privilege for me to preside over this final step of permanency for youth in care of DCFS.”
New Supreme Court of Illinois Chief Justice
In October, the Hon. P. Scott Neville, Jr. was installed as the 123rd Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court during an uplifting investiture ceremony and a packed house in the Bronzeville neighborhood where he was raised in Chicago. Chief Justice Neville began a three-year term, succeeding Justice Mary Jane Theis.
Public trust in the courts “requires justice that is accessible, procedures that are understandable, and support services that meet the needs of litigants,” Chief Justice Neville said. “I will also work to make the Illinois courts a national model, safeguarding the constitutional promise of equal justice without regard to who a person is, where they live, or what resources they have so all litigants are seen and heard.”
We thank Justice Theis for her excellent service and will continue to work with Chief Justice Neville on these worthy goals.
Community Justice Worker Program
Courts across the nation continue to see a rise in the number of people coming to court for civil cases without an attorney. To help address this access to justice gap, the Illinois Supreme Court in September approved in concept a new Community Justice Worker Program allowing certified individuals who are not lawyers to provide limited legal assistance in designated high-need areas of law under the supervision of an Illinois-licensed attorney.
The approved proposal is intended to expand access to legal services and help underserved areas, including legal deserts, by leveraging existing resources and people already in those communities. It will position trained and certified community justice workers in legal aid and other non-profit organizations to provide limited legal assistance in areas of law where there is a high, unmet need.
Illinois Court Help Chatbot
To help guide as many court users as possible, Illinois Court Help in January rolled out a new virtual court guide and chatbot named Lex. Lex is designed to provide more tools to empower communities to navigate the legal system effectively, especially for people without lawyers.
Staff from the AOIC Access to Justice Division and Illinois Court Help continue to seek improvement for Lex and have traveled to different sites for feedback from community groups. In this way, the implementation of Lex aims to align with the National Center for State Courts principles of a human-centered and AI-forward future where technology supports people and staff but does not replace human interaction and judgment. If you would like to try it out, users can send messages or access Lex directly on the ILCH website at ilcourthelp.gov.
10 Year Anniversary of the Illinois Judicial College
The Illinois Judicial College, established effective Jan. 1, 2016, has provided hundreds of high-quality educational programs since its inception. As the College celebrates its 10-year anniversary, the Board of Trustees, seven College committee members, and AOIC Judicial College Division staff are reflecting on the incredible work to expand service to justice partners, in addition to judges, thereby providing a truly comprehensive education approach for all.
These are just a few things to be thankful for this year. I am grateful for the Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice and Justices who continuously lead the way for all our courts through their strong commitment and support for these and other programs intended to support access to justice for all. My thanks also go out to everyone who works in the Illinois courts for their hard work and dedication to keeping the trains running and making the courthouse a welcoming place for all.
I hope you and your families have a wonderful Thanksgiving and a safe holiday season.