Access to Justice

Appleseed advocates to make our justice system better, stronger, fairer, and more accessible to everyone. Our work has focused on ensuring that judicial systems are fair and effective, legislatures are representative, as well as open and responsive to the public, and executive agencies are transparent and accountable. Appleseed Centers have worked to advance voting rights, improve judicial performance, protect fair courts, ensure people in both civil and criminal proceedings have access to resources and information, and protect funding for the courts.

​​Use the drop down menu below to view select reports and accomplishments from Appleseed justice centers:

LANGUAGE ACCESS

Massachusetts Appleseed
2021

• Families Torn Apart: Language-Based Discrimination at the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families
• Limited English Proficient Families File Discrimination Complaint Against the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families

​SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANTS, LEGAL REPRESENTATION, AND ACCESSIBILITY

Massachusetts Appleseed
2018

• Cell Phones in the Courthouse: An Access to Justice Perspective
• ​Turning On the Lights: How the Massachusetts Trial Court Could Deploy a Virtual Court Service Center to Assist Self-Represented Litigants

Alabama Appleseed
2019

• Passage of SB30: Ensuring Greater Access to Justice for Low-Income Alabamians

2018

• Civil Legal Aid Funding is Not an Expense, it’s an Investment
• ​The State Legislature Failed to Increase Access to Justice for Low-Income Alabamians

2017

• The Constitutional Right to Counsel: Is it being upheld in Alabama?

Louisiana Appleseed
2021

• The Louisiana Civil Legal Navigator was launched with support from Louisiana Appleseed. The Navigator is a tool designed to increase legal accessibility.

2016

• ​Funding Civil Legal Aid

​2015

• ​In Forma Pauperis

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Chicago Appleseed
2021

• “Solutions Rather Than Obstacles” – An Evaluation of the Hearing Officer Program Cook County’s Domestic Relations Court

2019

• The Early Resolution Program: Observations and Assessment 

2018

• Change in the Domestic Relations Division: The New Role of Hearing Officers

2017

• ​Bringing Domestic Relations Hearing Officers Under the County’s Judiciary Budget

BUILDING A CIVIL SOCIETY NETWORK

México Appleseed
2021

• NOM Servicios de refugios (NOM Shelter Services)

2020

• Appleseed Mexico completed their 4-year civil society activity project with USAID and launched a new civil society and pro bono program with USAID which will end in 2024. The civil society project strengthened community-serving nonprofits' capacity to comply with their legal obligations through legal assistance provided by Appleseed Mexico and the members of their pro bono network, which grew to 54 law firms in 2020. The new civil society and pro bono program focuses on nonprofits in Mexico serving communities on issues of crime and violence prevention, the rule of law, human rights, transparency, and sustainable landscapes. 
• USAID Civil Society Program
  • Sección I: El papel estratégico de la Sociedad Civil (Section I: The strategic role of Civil Society)
  • Sección II: El enfoque y las metodologías del Programa para la Sociedad Civil (Section II: The approach and methodologies of the Civil Society Program)
  • Sección III: Las lecciones aprendidas y los resultados del Programa para la Sociedad Civil (Section III: Lessons learned and results of the Civil Society Program)
  • Sección IV: Herramientas del Programa para la Sociedad Civil de USAID (Section IV: Tools of the USAID Civil Society Program)
  • NUPAS
  • Recursos humanos (Human resources)​

2019

• Proyecto de fortalecimiento de la sociedad civil organizada en Baja California Sur (Project to strengthen organized civil society in Baja California Sur)

2018

• Entorno legal de la Sociedad Civil Organizada
• The Legal Environment for CSOs in Mexico

FAIR COURTS AND JUDICIAL REFORM

Chicago Appleseed
2021

• ​First 100 Days: New Directions for the Office of the Clerk of the Cook County Circuit Court

2020

• ​​New Directions for the Office of the Clerk of the Cook County Circuit Court: Recommendations for Planning and Transitioning to New Leadership
• Cook County E-Court: Evaluating the Circuit Court’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and Looking Toward the Future

2019

• ​The Need for a Central Panel Approach to Administrative Adjudication: Pros, Cons, and Selected Practices ​
• ​Attorneys’ Guide to the Illinois Administrative Order Establishment and Enforcement Remedies Processes
• Users’ Guide to the Illinois Administrative Order Establishment and Enforcement Remedies Processes

2016

• ​The Case for Recording Devices in Cook County Eviction Courts ​

VOTING RIGHTS

Georgia Appleseed
2021

• Produced a memo offering guidance on recent challenges to the votes of homeless Georgians who use churches as their mailing address for voting registration

​DC Appleseed
2021

• DC Appleseed this year filed an appeal to the Supreme Court in their suit arguing DC residents are constitutionally entitled to voting representation in Congress​

​Kansas Appleseed
2021

• Along with other Kansas advocacy groups, Kansas Appleseed filed a new lawsuit against the state of Kansas over voter suppression laws. The case claims that the bills—which criminalize individuals for giving voter assistance, limit ballot collection, restrict advocacy organizations from helping voters and more—violate the Kansas Constitution by unduly burdening Kansans’ right to vote.

2020

• Kansas Appleseed's integrated voter engagement project increased voter turnout in Southeast Kansas by 10% in 2020, including a 48% increase among individuals the Center contacted through text messaging, social media, mailing, and community events.

​New Jersey Appleseed
2021

• New Jersey Appleseed's advocacy led to expanded early voting opportunities and a state executive order permitting electronic signing and submission of initiative petitions.

MASSACHUSETTS APPLESEED

Families Torn Apart: Language-Based Discrimination at the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families

Cell Phones in the Courthouse: An Access to Justice Perspective

Turning On the Lights

MEXICO APPLESEED

Mexico

• The Legal Environment for CSOs in Mexico

ALABAMA APPLESEED

2019
Passage of SB30: Ensuring Greater Access to Justice for Low-Income Alabamians

2018
Civil Legal Aid Funding is Not an Expense, it’s an InvestmentThe State Legislature Failed to Increase Access to Justice for Low-Income Alabamians

​2017
The Constitutional Right to Counsel: Is it being upheld in Alabama?

CHICAGO APPLESEED

First 100 Days: New Directions for the Office of the Clerk of the Cook County Circuit Court (April 2021)

New Directions for the Office of the Clerk of the Cook County Circuit Court: Recommendations for Planning and Transitioning to New Leadership (September 2020)

Cook County E-Court: Evaluating the Circuit Court’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and Looking Toward the Future (August 2020)

Judicial Elections in Cook County Process Guide

The Need for a Central Panel Approach to Administrative Adjudication: Pros, Cons, and Selected Practices (February 2019)

The Case for Recording Devices in Cook County Eviction Courts (July 2016)

Policy Brief: Judicial Recusal(December 2012)
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Attorneys’ Guide to the Illinois Administrative Order Establishment and Enforcement Remedies Processes | Chicago Appleseed (November 2019)

Users’ Guide to the Illinois Administrative Order Establishment and Enforcement Remedies Processes | Chicago Appleseed (November 2019)

“Solutions Rather Than Obstacles” – An Evaluation of the Hearing Officer Program Cook County’s Domestic Relations Court| Chicago Appleseed (August 2021)
​
The Early Resolution Program: Observations and Assessment | Chicago Appleseed (August 2019)

Change in the Domestic Relations Division: The New Role of Hearing Officers | Chicago Appleseed (March 2018)
​
Bringing Domestic Relations Hearing Officers Under the County’s Judiciary Budget | Chicago Appleseed (November 2017)

A Constitutionality Analysis of the Cook County Parentage Court   | Chicago Appleseed (December 2013)

The Early Resolution Program: Observations and Assessment | Chicago Appleseed (August 2019)

Change in the Domestic Relations Division: The New Role of Hearing Officers | Chicago Appleseed (March 2018)

LOUISIANA APPLESEED

Representing Clients with Mental Illness: A Resource for Louisiana Defenders (2011)

Representing Low Wage And Immigrant Workers In Wage Claims (2010)

Child Support & Re-Entry Project

In Forma Pauperis (2015)

Preventing Teen Dating Violence Through Education
​
Language Access (2012)

Funding Civil Legal Aid (2016)