From the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin
Illinois judges want to know how people really feel about them.
Chief judges in all 24 judicial circuits will issue surveys at most courthouses in the state to ask court users — from attorneys to litigants to media and the general public — about their experiences with their local court system.
The goal, Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Rita B. Garman said, is to gain insight about the public’s perception of the state’s court system and make changes wherever necessary.
“It is the court’s obligation to be accountable and provide justice in a fair, equitable and expeditious manner, and, therefore, we look forward to the end results of this survey,” she said in a statement.
The surveys will be conducted from April 13 to May 1. They seek to gather participants’ demographics as well as general perception of and personal experiences with the court system.
Respondents will be asked to indicate their level of agreement — anywhere from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree” — on statements such as “judges make sure people’s rights are protected,” “I was treated the same as everyone else” and “I understand the language that was used in the courtroom.”
Blank lines will also be available at the bottom so participants can offer any input the survey might have missed.
Fourth District Appellate Justice M. Carol Pope — chair of the Illinois Judicial Conference’s Strategic Planning Committee, which helped craft the survey — said the group wants to be proactive in identifying potential problems within courts.
The speed at which any potential changes would be implemented depends on the results, Pope said.
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