The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice (A2J Commission) and the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) are accepting applications for two grants that will expand the network of court personnel who serve self-represented litigants (SRLs). As…
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The Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee will hold a remote public hearing on seven proposals on Wednesday, June 24, 2020. The committee will hear comments on all proposals, including a proposal that would repeal Supreme Court Rule 23 in its…
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As courts, law firms, and legal organizations across the country reopen, now is the time to reimagine what our new normal looks like. In April, the Commission launched a Reimagining Law video series. Reimagining Law explores how legal and judicial…
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Over the last week, there has been a flurry of announcements from Illinois’ federal and state courts on the reestablishment of courthouse operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. As jurisdictional guidelines continue to evolve, it’s important for lawyers to stay abreast…
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Ensuring equal access to the courts for individuals with language limitations is a top priority in Illinois, where there is a growing number of people with limited English proficiency. As part of its charge to support access to justice in…
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On May 20, the Illinois Supreme Court issued guidelines for resuming judicial branch operations amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Effective June 1, the state’s circuit courts may conduct in-person or remote hearings according to a schedule developed by the chief circuit…
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The Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) has launched a new Courts, Children and Families Division. The Division, which succeeds the Courts, Children and Families Unit (CCFU), became effective on May 1, 2020. Former CCFU Court Services Manager Heather…
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The Chicago Bar Foundation is seeking applicants for full-time fellowship positions with the Illinois JusticeCorps. The AmeriCorps program provides college students and recent graduates the opportunity to provide legal information, procedural guidance, and resource referrals to people going to court…
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The Illinois Supreme Court announced today that due to COVID-19, the Illinois bar exam, originally scheduled for July 28-29, 2020, has been postponed to September 9-10, 2020. The Court also entered an order to relax the rules for administering the…
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This week, the Illinois Supreme Court announced temporary changes to paragraph (h) Remote Electronic Means Depositions of Rule 206, which applies to methods of taking depositions on oral examination.  The amendments, made in response to COVID-19, were effective as of…
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The Illinois Supreme Court announced significant updates this week in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the first time in its history, the Court will hold oral arguments virtually, through the Zoom videoconference platform. In addition, the Court will allow…
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Last week, the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) announced that it would offer an alternative date for the July bar exam for jurisdictions that cannot or choose to not move forward with the exam this summer due to COVID-19. The NCBE…
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