“Lawyer in the Library” Program to Begin in Carmi this Month Second Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Melissa Morgan is proud to
announce the Second Circuit’s “Lawyer in the Library” program will begin in White County this month. 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. The Second Circuit created the “Lawyer in the Library” program in 2022 with a pilot county and last year’s grant allowed an expansion to include 3 more counties. This grant award will allow the implementation of these services in White County.
Carmi attorney Rhonda Blades has partnered with the program and will begin meeting with individuals for 20-minute sessions on the first
Thursday of each month between the hours of 3:00 – 6:00 pm. Attorney Blades will meet with interested participants at the Carmi Public Library at 103 Slocumb Street, Carmi, Illinois. Participants must reside within the Second Circuit. The program will kick-off with the first session on Thursday, September 5, with the following sessions scheduled throughout the end of this calendar year: October 3, November 7, and December 5.
The library is strongly requesting that appointments be made in an effort to accommodate all interested persons. Please contact the Carmi Public Library at (618) 382-5277 to schedule a session.
Chief Judge Morgan stated, “I am grateful for this year’s grant award because it lets us build on the program’s success. We started in one
county and wanted to focus on making it a sustainable program. The goal was simple – to help people in our communities who were
attempting to navigate the court system without a lawyer. The program has flourished and I am excited to now partner with the Carmi Public Library, Director Gayle Lane, and Attorney Blades to bring these services to White County.
The Second Judicial Circuit is comprised of 12 counties: Crawford, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jefferson, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, Wayne, and White.
For more information, please contact the Office of the Second Circuit Chief Judge at 618-244-8036.
