Overview
Judge Karen Simpson has been very active in her community. From volunteering to work cases pro bono for CASA and the Kane County Bar Association to volunteering at the Hesed House. Please take a moment to learn more about these wonderful organizations Judge Simpson invests her time in.
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
CASA volunteers are appointed by judges to watch over and advocate for abused and neglected children, to make sure they don’t get lost in the overburdened legal and social service system or languish in an inappropriate group or foster home. They stay with each case until it is closed, and the child is placed in a safe, permanent home. For many abused children, their CASA volunteer will be the one constant adult presence—the one adult who cares only for them.
Karen was a pro bono attorney representing the appointed CASA (Guardian Ad Litem-also known as the child's voice in the courtroom). The law requires the CASA, if not an attorney, be represented by an attorney in court. She handled all legal matters on behalf of the CASA.
Guardian Ad Litem (GAL)
Karen has consistently and vigorously been an advocate for the rights of children throughout her career. As a court appointed GAL for hundreds of children, she has represented them in legal proceedings that came before the court. For example.
- Contested custody cases.
- Estate cases where a child's parent or parents were deceased and estate assets had to be protected for the child.
- Personal injury actions- again where compensation for injuries to a child had to be protected on the child's behalf.
- She was appointed to represent several children at Mooseheart who were victims of sexual abuse and we were successful in obtaining awards to compensate these children for the injury which had been done to them.
- She represented special needs children in cases with different school districts in obtaining for them to receive the services they were in need of.
- She was a hearing officer for the West Aurora School Board.
- Karen has spent much of her practice fighting for children's rights and often did so pro bono or for reduced legal fees. She helped create the Guardian Ad Litem training program still required today in Kane County.
7 Reasons To Leave The Party
“7 Reasons to Leave the Party” is a 50-minute, award-winning program directed to teenagers with the goal to alter their perception about what’s “cool” and ultimately save young lives. The program educates and encourages kids to have the knowledge and courage to get themselves out of situations where alcohol or drugs are present.
Karen has been trained and is currently involved in the state wide-program and has presented to several schools in the circuit.
Hesed House
Hesed House is like a shopping mall of nonprofits serving poor and homeless persons. Within Hesed House is Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry, Inc., one of the largest food pantries in Illinois, Aurora Soup Kitchen, Inc., which serves nutritious meals to homeless and non-homeless families and individuals, and Public Action to Deliver Shelter, Inc., which has multiple residential and non-residential programs for homeless families and individuals.
Karen has volunteered in the kitchen assisting in preparing meals for the homeless.