&HQMRMWXVEXMZI4JJMGISJXLI.PPMRSMW(SYVXW &GGIWWXS/YWXMGITMVEP %'SQTMPEXMSR½SJ4SPMGMIW6YPIW8MTW &IWX½4VEGXMGIW 0ERKYEKI%GGIWW 7XERHEVHM^IH*SVQW 7IPJ6ITVIWIRXIH 0MXMKERXW½ 0MQMXIH 7GSTI6ITVIWIRXEXMSR 4EXVSRW[MXL(MWEFMPMXMIW 'MZMP%TTIEPW 0EWX9THEXIH2SZIQFIV Table of Contents Overview Language Access……………………………………………Section I Statewide Standardized Forms……………………………...Section II Self-Represented Litigants…………………………………Section III In the Courtroom Non-Judicial Court Staff Referrals to Available Legal Resources Fee and Assessment Waivers E-filing Court Access for Persons with Disabilities………………...Section IV Civil Appeals………………………………………………..Section V For more information about the Access to Justice Division at the AOIC, please contact Alison Spanner, Assistant Director, at 312-793-3859 or [email protected]. Detailed Table of Contents Section I. Language Access………………………………………………………………………….Page 5 A. Illinois Supreme Court Language Access Policy: http://www.illinoiscourts.gov/CivilJustice/LanguageAccess/Language_Access_Policy.pdf B. Judicial Bench Card: Courtroom Interpreters C. Illinois Supreme Court Code of Interpreter Ethics: http://www.illinoiscourts.gov/CivilJustice/LanguageAccess/Illinois_Code_of_Interpreter_Ethics .pdf D. Available Signage/Resources: a. Reimbursement Instructions b. Language Line information c. Court Personnel Information Card on Limited English Proficient Individuals d. Need an interpreter? Sign in 6 languages e. Interpreter Services Sign in 35 languages f. Marketing Flyer in English and Spanish g. Request & Order for an Interpreter Forms Suite h. Continuance with translation (available in many languages) i. Jury waiver with translation in 6 languages For more information on language access issues, go to: http://www.illinoiscourts.gov/CivilJustice/LanguageAccess/default.asp. For training or copies of materials contact Sophia Akbar, [email protected]. Section II. Statewide Standardized Forms ……………………………………………………….Page 48 A. Illinois Supreme Court Rule 10-101 & M.R. 25401 B. Standardized Form Development Flowchart C. Current Standardized Form List, Mandatory Use Forms, and Forms in Development D. Available Signage/Resources: a. Forms Tear-Off Sheet For more information on standardized statewide plain language forms, go to: http://www.illinoiscourts.gov/Forms/forms.asp. For training or copies of materials contact [email protected]. Section III. Self-Represented Litigants…………………………………………………………….Page 58 A. In the Courtroom a. Illinois Supreme Court Rule 63 i. Judicial Bench Card: Self-Represented Litigants and SCR 63(A)(4) 1. Link to helpful resources: https://tinyurl.com/ATJCourts b. Illinois Supreme Court Policy on Plain Language: http://www.illinoiscourts.gov/CivilJustice/Training_Education/Plain_Language_Policy.pdf i. Plain Language Guide (link provided, document not included in Spiral): https://courts.illinois.gov/CivilJustice/Training_Education/ReferenceGuide.pdf B. Non-Judicial Court Staff…………………………………………………………..…….Page 66 a. Illinois Supreme Court Policy on Assistance to Court Patrons by Circuit Clerks, Court Staff, Law Librarians, and Court Volunteers http://www.illinoiscourts.gov/SupremeCourt/Policies/Pdf/Safe_Harbor_Policy.pdf b. Available Signage/Resources: i. Available Assistance to Court Patrons Sign ii. Court Personnel Desk Card, How Can I Best Assist Self-Represented Litigants? iii. What is Legal Information? A Guide to Using the Policy iv. Illinois JusticeCorps Summary C. Referrals to Available Legal Resources……………………………………………..….Page 91 a. The Justice Gap: Self-Represented Litigants and Access to Lawyers b. Limited Scope Representation Summary c. Judicial Bench Card: Limited Scope Representation d. Cook County Limited Scope Referral Panel Application and Sample Panel List e. Map of Illinois Legal Aid Online's Self-Help Centers f. Legal Aid Organizations in Illinois g. Pro Bono Opportunities & Lawyer Referral Services h. Sample Referral Sheets D. Civil Fee and Criminal Assessment Waivers………………………………………….Page 116 a. Illinois Supreme Court Rule 298 and 735 ILCS 5/5-105 b. Illinois Supreme Court Rule 404 and 725 ILCS 5/12A-20 c. Judicial Bench Card: Civil Fee and Criminal Assessment Waivers d. 2019 Federal Poverty Level Annual Chart e. Available Signage/Resources: i. Public Information Card: Illinois Court $ Waivers Overview ii. Fee Waiver notification in English and Spanish E. E-filing………………………………………………………..………………………….Page 129 a. Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9 b. Judicial Bench Card: E-filing and Judicial Discretion c. Certification for Exemption from E-filing d. Available Signage/Resources: i. Trouble with E-filing? Sign ii. Court Personnel Desk Card, How Can Clerks Best Assist SRLs with E-filing? iii. Memos (Technical Assistance, non-party/non-litigant) For more information about SRLs, including step-by-step e-filing guides for how to e-file in English and Spanish, go to: http://www.illinoiscourts.gov/CivilJustice/Resources/Self-Represented_Litigants/self- represented.asp. For training or copies of materials contact Jill Roberts, [email protected]. Section IV. Court Access for Persons with Disabilities………………………………………….Page 141 A. Court Disability Coordinator (CDC) Manual also found at http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/rights/Manual_Court_Disability_Coordinators.pdf. For more information about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance and disability access, go to: http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/rights/disabilityrights.html. Section V. Civil Appeals…………………………………………...……………………………...Page 205 A. Guide for Appeals to the Illinois Appellate Court for Self-Represented Litigants B. Civil Appeals Overview – Appeals from Final Judgment Orders For more information about Civil Appeals, go to: http://www.illinoiscourts.gov/CivilJustice/Resources/Self-Represented_Litigants/self-represented-civil- appeals.asp. For training or copies of materials contact Kathryn Hensley, [email protected]. Section I Language Access Illinois Supreme Court Language Access Policy Effective October 1, 2014 Amended September 20, 2016 ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT LANGUAGE ACCESS POLICY I. PREAMBLE The Illinois Supreme Court recognizes that equal access to the courts is essential to ensuring the strength and integrity of the judiciary and preserving trust in our legal system. Equal access to the courts, regardless of language limitations or disabilities, is an important issue in Illinois, which has a significant and growing number of people with limited English proficiency throughout the state. As such, the fair administration of justice requires that our state’s courts be language accessible to all people, including those who are limited English proficient or are deaf or hard of hearing. This policy provides a blueprint for the courts of Illinois to develop a unified approach for the provision of statewide language access services. This policy is offered to guide Illinois courts in the implementation of a comprehensive language access program and establishes standards to support the ongoing development of circuit-specific Language Access Plans. It is the Supreme Court’s vision that qualified and trained interpreters and clear and multi-lingual signage be available in both civil and criminal legal proceedings within courthouses and for court-annexed proceedings. In support of this vision, the Supreme Court is committed to implementing and developing standards to support the development of a body of qualified and trained foreign language interpreters. Unlike foreign language interpreting, the field of sign language interpreting has nationally and locally developed standards, which Illinois adheres to, for the evaluation and certification of sign language interpreters under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Illinois Interpreter for the Deaf Licensure Act of 2007. To support the development of trained foreign language interpreters, a three-tiered certification program for foreign language court interpreters statewide is established. When a court determines a foreign language interpreter is needed, the court should appoint a certified, qualified or registered interpreter when practicable. The Supreme Court will work with all stakeholders to seek adequate funding for language access programs, which may include requests for increases in funding of judicial budgets, government grants, or other sources of funding. Recognizing the limited resources for language access, funding priority should be given to providing interpreter services to low and moderate income persons. This policy is based on the fundamental principles of fairness, access to justice and integrity of the judicial process; the principles of due process, equal protection and judicial independence rooted in the Illinois constitution; and the legal requirements of state and federal law, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. With the guidance contained in the policy, it is hoped that the judiciary will be better equipped to minimize the obstacles faced by limited English proficient individuals or deaf or hard of hearing persons when they attempt to access Illinois courts. 2 II. DEFINITIONS 1. "Court-annexed proceeding" means court proceedings which are managed by officers of the court or their official designees (e.g., mandatory arbitration or mediation, probation contacts and court-ordered evaluations). 2. “Foreign language interpreter” means a person fluent in both English and another language, who listens to a communication in one language and orally converts it into another