A panel of Illinois judiciary members and stakeholders has developed a three-year plan with support from SJI, and technical assistance provided by Brenda Wagenknecht-Ivey from Praxis Consulting, Inc. The plan outlines a mission statement, vision edict, and five core values meant to be its “blueprint for the future” developed through the Illinois Judicial Conference, which …
Read MoreIn addition to the impact of opioid abuse on criminal courts, the nation’s family and juvenile courts, and child welfare system, is also being deeply impacted. A recent report by DHS/Administration for Children and Families shows that, after years of decline, the number of children in foster care is rising. Nearly three-quarters of all states …
Read MoreDelivering on the promise of justice for all is easier said than done, but it can be that much more difficult helping litigants who suffer from mental illness. Helping them can be incredibly difficult, so the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) has embarked on a three-year initiative to improve the justice system response to …
Read MoreAs recently as 2017, 86 percent of litigants in civil cases received inadequate or no legal help, according to one study. That fact didn’t come as a surprise to those who are trying to close the nation’s justice gap. In one attempt to close it, Washington became the first state to allow specially trained paralegals …
Read MoreAnother name for limited jurisdiction courts is: A. municipal courts B. district courts C. mayor’s courts D. justice courts E. all of the above If you guessed E, you’re correct, but all of the above is an incomplete answer. In all, there are 20 different names for limited jurisdiction courts nationwide. That fact is just …
Read MoreThe SJI Board of Directors met on September 9, 2019 to make decisions on quarterly grant applications and approved a total of 12 new grants. Ten (10) Technical Assistance Grants were awarded: the Connecticut Judicial Branch for a domestic relations triage project; the 5th Circuit Court of Appeal of Louisiana for a governance and organizational assessment; the Massachusetts Judiciary for …
Read More