Late last week, the Illinois Supreme Court and Chief Justice Anne M. Burke announced the formation of a Supreme Court Statutory Court Fees Task Force.
The Task Force will conduct a thorough review of the Criminal and Traffic Assessment Act (CTAA), including the statutory fees imposed or assessed on criminal defendants and civil litigants and the fiscal impact of the new civil and criminal fee schedules.
Additionally, the Task Force will review any implementation issues and suggest legislative and/or rules changes as needed. The Task Force will submit a report and recommendations to the Supreme Court and General Assembly within one year.
Simplifying Court Costs
The Task Force is made up of a bipartisan body of judges, retired judges, legislators, circuit clerks, and members of the private bar from across Illinois.
The new Task Force serves as a replacement for the Court’s original 15-person Task Force created under the Access to Justice Act. Recommendations from the original Task Force were the foundation for the CTAA and several approved changes to the assessment system including Civil Filing and Appearance Fee Schedules as well as fee waivers in amended Rule 298 and new Rule 404.
“The reforms enacted to simplify court costs were an important step and we are grateful to the original Task Force for its hard work,” Chief Justice Burke said. “There was always the expectation that additional improvements would be necessary, and we look forward to hearing from the new Task Force on what those might be.”
Steven F. Pflaum, of Neal, Gerber and Eisenberg LLP, has been appointed as chairperson of the Task Force. The additional six appointees include Adam Vaught of Hinshaw and Culbertson LLP, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Thomas M. Donnelly, the Hon. Elizabeth A. Robb (Ret.), First District Appellate Justice LeRoy K. Martin, First Judicial Court Judge Michael A. Fiello, and 17th Circuit Court Chief Judge Eugene G. Doherty.
The Task Force will also include four members of the Illinois General Assembly, appointed as follows:
- One member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
- One member appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives;
- One member appointed by the Senate President;
- One member appointed by the Senate Minority Leader.
Lastly, the Task Force will have two Governor-appointed members and two members appointed by the President of the Illinois Association of Circuit Court Clerks.
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Perhaps the Task Force might consider the advisability of an incremental fee increase to study the importance of lawyer well-being?