Legal Services
Request Legal Help
Please see guidelines below first.
Are you an incarcerated mother?
Are you a caregiver for a child whose mother is incarcerated?
We can help you if you have questions about:
- Divorce
- Guardianship
- Short-term guardianship
- Discharge of guardianship
- Custody
- Visitation
- Foster Care
- Adoption
Guidelines:
CLAIM offers legal services on family law to incarcerated mothers, formerly incarcerated mothers and caregivers of children whose parents are incarcerated. We do not provide representation for criminal law cases. The case must be in Illinois.
CLAIM regularly visits women at Cook County Jail, Decatur Correctional Center, Lincoln Correctional Center, Dwight Correctional Center, and the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago. For legal help with your family law issue, if you are currently incarcerated please call us collect at 312-675-0911 or contact us at: 70 East Lake Street, Suite 1120, Chicago, IL 60601.
If you are in the community, contact our staff attorney Zenaida Alonzo or call 312-675-0912 ext. 15 for assistance.
Our Caregiver's Handbook answers general questions about caring for a child whose parent is incarcerated, including school enrollment. It includes the form for a parent to appoint a Short-term guardian for up to one year.
Helpful Links
For legal aid providers to assist with other kinds of issues:
Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago
Coordinated Advice and Referral Program for Legal Services
For information about a current court case:
For information about an inmate:
Illinois Department of Corrections
For family members of prisoners:
Children of Incarcerated Parents - to improve how children are cared for. Includes the Bill of Rights for Children of Incarcerated Parents.
Family and Corrections Network - information for family members of prisoners and training for service providers.
Women and Prison - information about women's incarceration.
Osborne Association - for families of incarcerated parents.
Create guardianships so children can stay with trusted caregivers, and out of the foster care system. Teach mothers in jail about family law and the best interest of the child. Host meetings for formerly imprisoned women. Testify at public hearings to win humane policy. Meet with corrections officials to make visits better for children. These are a few things that CLAIM staff and volunteers do to bring justice to incarcerated mothers and their children. You can help us make a difference. Please be as generous as possible.
Current Size: 100%
- Approximately 80% of the 16,239 women in Chicago’s Cook County Jail in 2004 were mothers.
- About 80% of women detained at Cook County Jail are charged with non-violent crimes.
Because children need their mothers.