Legal teams help thousands restore suspended licenses

Teams of volunteer lawyers have helped thousands of Chicago drivers get back on the road by clearing suspended licenses that often stemmed from unpaid tickets and court fees rather than dangerous driving.

The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office launched its “License to Drive” program in 2019, partnering with legal aid organizations to address what officials call a cycle that traps low-income residents. Many drivers lose their licenses not for reckless driving, but because they couldn’t afford to pay fines for minor violations like expired registration or parking in the wrong spot.

“We’re talking about people who need to drive to work, to take their kids to school, to get groceries,” said State’s Attorney Kim Foxx. “When you suspend someone’s license because they can’t pay a fine, you’re making their economic situation worse, not better.”

The program has restored driving privileges to more than 8,000 people across Cook County since its launch. Volunteer attorneys work at pop-up clinics in neighborhoods like Austin, Englewood, and Little Village — areas where residents often rely on cars to reach jobs in the suburbs but face the highest rates of license suspension.

Chicago resident Maria Gonzalez had her license suspended for three years after accumulating parking tickets near her Pilsen apartment. She couldn’t afford the $1,200 in fines and fees, so the suspension remained in place even after she found steady work at a North Side factory.

“I was driving scared every day,” Gonzalez said. “If I got pulled over, I could go to jail. But I had no choice — I needed to get to work.”

Legal aid lawyers helped Gonzalez negotiate a payment plan and clear her suspension last month. The process took about two hours at a clinic held at a community center near her home.

The Illinois Secretary of State’s Office estimates that more than 1.2 million people statewide have suspended licenses, with the majority of suspensions linked to unpaid fines rather than moving violations. In Chicago, the problem hits hardest on the South and West sides, where public transit options are more limited.

Defenders of the traditional system argue that fines provide necessary revenue for local governments and encourage compliance with traffic laws. But research from the Chicago Jobs Council shows that license suspensions often push families deeper into poverty, making it harder for breadwinners to maintain employment.

The program plans to expand next year with additional funding from the state legislature. Organizers hope to add more clinic locations and extend services to suburban Cook County communities.