Illinois

Categorical Right To Counsel
Discretionary Appointment Of Counsel
Right Or Appointment Is Qualified
No Such Proceeding
No Authorization, But Relevant Materials
Other
Doesn't Affect

All Basic Human Needs

Legislation

January 1, 2014
Illinois legislation creates civil right to counsel pilots project
The “Access to Justice Act”, enacted in 2013, creates a set of statewide pilot projects for the provision of counsel in civil cases.
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Appointment of Counsel:  Doesn't Affect
Qualified: No
? If "yes", the established right to counsel or discretionary appointment of counsel is limited in some way, including any of: the only authority is a lower/intermediate court decision or a city council, not a high court or state legislature; there has been a subsequent case that has cast doubt; a statute is ambiguous; or the right or discretionary appointment is not for all types of individuals or proceedings within that category.
NCCRC is working with the pilot designers on shaping the pilots, and contributed information on other pilot projects across the country.
Doesn't Affect

Bypass of Parental Input into Abortion - Minor (Pre-Dobbs)

Legislation

March 16, 2023
Bills seeking to reinstate parental notification of abortion requirement die
The Illinois House introduced six bills in the 2023-24 session to require minors to notify their parents of their intent to seek an abortion.
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Appointment of Counsel:  Doesn't Affect
Qualified: No
? If "yes", the established right to counsel or discretionary appointment of counsel is limited in some way, including any of: the only authority is a lower/intermediate court decision or a city council, not a high court or state legislature; there has been a subsequent case that has cast doubt; a statute is ambiguous; or the right or discretionary appointment is not for all types of individuals or proceedings within that category.
Doesn't Affect

Forfeiture (incomplete)

Legislation

April 6, 2017
Legislation: civil forfeiture
These bills would permit a court to appoint counsel for a third party intervening in a civil forfeiture action.
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Appointment of Counsel:  Doesn't Affect
Qualified: No
? If "yes", the established right to counsel or discretionary appointment of counsel is limited in some way, including any of: the only authority is a lower/intermediate court decision or a city council, not a high court or state legislature; there has been a subsequent case that has cast doubt; a statute is ambiguous; or the right or discretionary appointment is not for all types of individuals or proceedings within that category.
March 21, 2017
Legislation: civil forfeiture
Several bills would provide a right to counsel for all or certain forfeiture proceedings.
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Appointment of Counsel:  Doesn't Affect
Qualified: No
? If "yes", the established right to counsel or discretionary appointment of counsel is limited in some way, including any of: the only authority is a lower/intermediate court decision or a city council, not a high court or state legislature; there has been a subsequent case that has cast doubt; a statute is ambiguous; or the right or discretionary appointment is not for all types of individuals or proceedings within that category.
Doesn't Affect

Housing - Evictions

Report

June 1, 2019
All about Chicago's tenant representation success
Reports in 2019 and 2024 pointed to the success of providing full representation for Chicago tenants facing eviction.
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Appointment of Counsel:  Doesn't Affect
Qualified: No
? If "yes", the established right to counsel or discretionary appointment of counsel is limited in some way, including any of: the only authority is a lower/intermediate court decision or a city council, not a high court or state legislature; there has been a subsequent case that has cast doubt; a statute is ambiguous; or the right or discretionary appointment is not for all types of individuals or proceedings within that category.

Legislation

February 17, 2023
Illinois introduces eviction right to counsel bills
In 2023, the Illinois legislature introduced a few different bills that would provide for the appointment of counsel in eviction matters.
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Appointment of Counsel:  Doesn't Affect
Qualified: No
? If "yes", the established right to counsel or discretionary appointment of counsel is limited in some way, including any of: the only authority is a lower/intermediate court decision or a city council, not a high court or state legislature; there has been a subsequent case that has cast doubt; a statute is ambiguous; or the right or discretionary appointment is not for all types of individuals or proceedings within that category.
May 24, 2024
Illinois considers tenant right to counsel bills
The legislature introduced three bills related to the tenant right to counsel, including one bill that would have provided broader protections.
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Appointment of Counsel:  Doesn't Affect
Qualified: No
? If "yes", the established right to counsel or discretionary appointment of counsel is limited in some way, including any of: the only authority is a lower/intermediate court decision or a city council, not a high court or state legislature; there has been a subsequent case that has cast doubt; a statute is ambiguous; or the right or discretionary appointment is not for all types of individuals or proceedings within that category.
Doesn't Affect

Housing - General

Pilot

January 1, 2014
Illinois legislation creates 5-year civil right to counsel pilots project
The 2013 “Access to Justice Act” creates a set of statewide pilot projects (likely to focus on housing) on providing counsel in civil cases.
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Appointment of Counsel:  Doesn't Affect
Qualified: No
? If "yes", the established right to counsel or discretionary appointment of counsel is limited in some way, including any of: the only authority is a lower/intermediate court decision or a city council, not a high court or state legislature; there has been a subsequent case that has cast doubt; a statute is ambiguous; or the right or discretionary appointment is not for all types of individuals or proceedings within that category.
The NCCRC has been working with the pilot designers since the legislation was approved.
Doesn't Affect

Immigration

Legislation

May 17, 2022
Illinois creates immigration right to counsel task force
An enacted 2022 bill creates a task force to study implementation of an immigration right to counsel, with a report due in 2023.
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Appointment of Counsel:  Doesn't Affect
Qualified: No
? If "yes", the established right to counsel or discretionary appointment of counsel is limited in some way, including any of: the only authority is a lower/intermediate court decision or a city council, not a high court or state legislature; there has been a subsequent case that has cast doubt; a statute is ambiguous; or the right or discretionary appointment is not for all types of individuals or proceedings within that category.
Discretionary

All Basic Human Needs

Debtor’s Prison / Financial

Domestic Violence

Education

Family Law

Health

Housing

Discretionary

Issues Related to Incarcerated People

Qualified

Other subject area