Second Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Melissa Morgan is proud to announce the Circuit has been awarded an Access to Justice grant for the third consecutive year. The grant is made possible by the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice and the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts and seeks to fund programs aimed to assist self-represented litigants. The Circuit created a program known as “Lawyer in the Library” in 2022 at a pilot site in Franklin County which consisted of a local attorney meeting one-on-one with individuals at the library and providing them with free legal information and guidance. Last year’s grant award allowed for the expansion of these services to three additional counties across the Circuit: Gallatin, Hamilton, and Richland. This year’s award will enable the continuance of these programs and add an additional location in White County.
Chief Judge Morgan expressed her gratitude for the grant stating, “I am thankful to the Illinois Supreme Court’s Commission on Access to Justice and the Administrative Office for this year’s grant award because it allows us to continue to build on the program’s success. We started with one library in one county and our goal was simple - to help people in our communities who were attempting to navigate the court system without a lawyer. The partnerships we have formed over these three years with libraries, courthouses, and attorneys make this program possible and we are fortunate to have the opportunity to continue to expand our outreach with this year’s grant.”
The Second Judicial Circuit is comprised of twelve counties: Crawford, Edwards, Franklin, Hamilton, Hardin, Gallatin, Jefferson, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, Wayne, and White.
