Pictured: Benton Attorney Jason D. Drew, Hamilton County “Lawyer in the Library” fall program counsel.
Second Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Melissa Morgan is proud to announce the Second Circuit’s “Lawyer in the Library” program will continue this year in Hamilton County thanks to an Access to Justice grant. The program consists of a local attorney meeting one-on-one with individuals and providing them with free legal coaching, document review, e-filing, and referrals regarding civil issues. These services are made possible through a grant from the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice and the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts that seeks to fund programs aimed to assist self-represented litigants. Chief Judge Morgan applied for and was awarded funding to create the “Lawyer in the Library” program in 2022, and services were expanded with a subsequent grant to include Hamilton County in 2023. This year’s program will feature two additional attorneys, one participating this fall, and one coming aboard in the spring.
Chief Judge Morgan stated, “I am grateful for this year’s grant award because it allows us to continue to build on the program’s success. Our goal is simple - to help people in our communities who are attempting to navigate the court system without a lawyer. The program has flourished and I am excited to welcome new attorneys who have chosen to participate in our mission.
Local attorney, Jason D. Drew has partnered with the program for fall sessions beginning October - December. Jason is an experienced attorney who graduated Benton High School and Rend Lake College. He received his Bachelors Degree from Mississippi State University and his Juris Doctorate from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Jason has experience representing parties in criminal and civil cases, and will utilize his civil experience representing individuals across Southern Illinois in this program.
Pre-registration is recommended but not required. To register in advance, please contact the McCoy Memorial Library at (618) 643-2125. Participants are asked to bring all paperwork related to their legal questions with them and sign in at the desk upon arrival at the library. Services will be provided for civil issues, including but not limited to dissolution of marriage, child custody, child support, landlord/tenant, guardianship, small claims, and probate. For more information, please contact the McCoy Memorial Library at (618) 643-2125 or the Office of the Chief Judge for the Second Judicial Circuit at (618) 244-8036.
The Second Judicial Circuit is comprised of 12 counties: Crawford, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jefferson, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, Wayne, and White.
