The Madison and St. Clair County Circuit Courts were both awarded Self-Represented Litigants grants to help them fund programs that support individuals who are representing themselves pro-se in various litigation matters.
Madison County Circuit Court was awarded two grants from the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice. The first will be used to assist with the Order of Protection and Stalking and Civil No Contact dockets. The second will assist with funding for the Foreclosure Mediation program.
“Our judges, Law Library, Legal Self-Help Center and Foreclosure Mediation staff have been working tirelessly to fill the additional needs of the court created by the pandemic,” Chief Judge William Mudge stated in a press release. “These grants will allow us to continue providing assistance and services to self-represented litigants who are victims of domestic violence or facing foreclosure.”
Self-Represented Litigants Coordinators Angela Wille and Jennifer Dunham will manage the two grants.
Wille will manage the grant related to orders of protections with Circuit Judge Amy Sholar, who is the presiding judge of the Family Division.
“The Order of Protection Assistants role is critical to the efficient functioning of the docket and the timely response to the litigants,” Scholar stated. “With the number of self-represented litigants continuing to rise, having assistants in the court allow the staff in the Law Library and Self-Help Center to maintain their role helping self-representing litigants.”
Dunham will manage the grant related to foreclosures with Associate Judge Ronald Foster.
“The Foreclosures Mediation Program has been a valuable resource for the homeowners of Madison County who are facing the uncertainty of foreclosure,” Foster stated. “This grant will help us continue the work of the mediation program and help expand assistance to self-represented litigants who are engaged in these legal proceedings.”
According to a press release, St. Clair County Circuit Court was awarded $18,000 by the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice in order to upgrade the technology and related support systems for the county’s Self-Represented Litigant Center.
“This grant will enable the court in St. Clair County to continue its commitment to serving self-represented litigants and guiding them through the sometimes complicated and daunting court system,” stated Chief Judge Andrew Gleeson. “The judiciary, staff and vendors, collaboratively led by Maggie Smith and Juli Donahue, exceeded our expectations in preparing and executing this grant process. Great job by all.”
Smith, who is the Deputy Trial Court Administrator, and Donahue, who is the Self-Represented Litigant Coordinator, said the grant will help them provide additional assistance to pro-se litigants.
“Receiving the Access to Justice grant is vital to expanding our ability to serve the self-represented litigants community by providing updated computers and more access to legal resources,” Smith stated.
“The Law Library will be equipped with six self-help stations with upgraded computers and a new copier and scanner, which will allow clients efficient access to the technology necessary to create court documents, attend remote hearings, conduct research and prepare vital materials to be used throughout the judicial process,” Donahue added.