LawPulse

The Illinois Supreme Court releases three-year plan for the judicial branch.

A new strategic plan for Illinois courts calls for digital self-help tools for parties; trained paraprofessionals in courtrooms; more limited-scope representation; improved forms; and more funding for juvenile programs, indigent defense, and problem-solving courts.

All of which and more are mentioned in the “Illinois Judicial Branch Strategic Agenda 2026-2028,” released by the Illinois Supreme Court in late January.

The plan was created by the Illinois Judicial Conference (IJC), which is the main strategic planning body for the Illinois judicial system and has been releasing new plans every three years since it was reconstituted in 2018.

“A primary objective of this agenda is to reduce barriers that hinder individuals from fully participating in their cases,” states Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice P. Scott Neville Jr. in a letter included in the 20-page plan.

“These barriers are familiar: cumbersome procedures, complicated forms, and technological demands,” Chief Justice Neville Jr. continues. Illinois courts “will undertake modernization initiatives, which will include enhancing remote hearing practices, upgrading the digital infrastructure, and increasing support for self-represented individuals.”

The plan, which also calls for more transparency in the court system, includes five goals, each with seven to 10 “strategies.” The five goals are:

1. safeguarding fairness, removing barriers, and empowering the self-represented;
2. resolving disputes fairly, delivering timely justice, and managing courts effectively;
3. achieving excellence through fairness, professionalism, and accountability;
4. strengthening public trust by making the work of the courts visible and understandable; and
5. sustaining courts through fair funding and smart stewardship.

Early priorities

A separate document, “At-a-Glance Illinois Judicial Branch Strategic Agenda 2026 Operational Plan,” also was released in late January and lays out the strategic plan’s for 2026.

1. increasing access to legal services in legal deserts;
2. strengthening juvenile detention practices;
3. evaluating and expanding mandatory but nonbinding court-annexed alternative dispute resolution;
4. implementing best practices for emerging adults in the justice system;
5. supporting effective judicial branch engagement with other branches of government;
6. enhancing remote access to court services;
7. engaging the public through civics education;
8. providing access to and meaningful participation in family law cases;
9. supporting the court user experience; and
10. strengthening communities through restorative justice practices.

The one-page At-a-Glance document is available online.

Past accomplishments

The 2026-2028 strategic plan references some of the accomplished goals from the 2022-2025 plan, including: the creation of a policy on artificial intelligence; more resources for public defenders; various initiatives to assist or inform the public about the judicial branch; and new resources for jurors.

IJC roster

The IJC comprises 15 judges and 14 non-judges. The chief justice serves as the chair, with another Illinois Supreme Court justice also serving. Other members include the director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, circuit court clerks, court administrators, attorneys, and members of the public.

Pete Sherman is managing editor of the Illinois Bar Journal.
psherman@isba.org