SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — The Illinois Supreme Court has approved a new initiative aimed at closing the gap in access to civil legal services across the state.

The Community Justice Worker Program will allow trained, certified non-lawyers to offer limited legal assistance under the supervision of a licensed attorney, helping address the shortage of affordable legal help in underserved areas.

The program was proposed by the Supreme Court Executive Committee on the Practice of Law. That committee was created in 2023 to study unmet legal needs across Illinois.

In September, the Illinois Supreme Court announced its approval in concept of the new Community Justice Worker Program.

The goal of the program is to place community justice workers within nonprofit and legal aid organizations to a

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