Our Work on Access to Justice

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

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

​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

Appleseed México

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

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 ​

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.