While the state vacated Wayne Washington’s 1996 conviction for Marshall Morgan’s murder, he’s still fighting an uphill battle for an innocence certificate.
Cook County Public Defender
In Illinois, you (still) don’t have a right to a speedy trial
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At the start of the pandemic, the Illinois Supreme Court suspended defendants’ constitutional rights to a speedy trial as courtrooms closed throughout the state. But even as pandemic restrictions are lifted across the board, the right to a speedy trial remains on hold.
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La historia y el daño detrás de la ley de criminalización del VIH de Illinois
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The Chicago Reader e Injustice Watch estudiaron los orígenes de la ley en Illinois, cómo los fiscales la han aprovechado en el Condado de Cook y sus impactos en quienes han sido acusados.
News
Lack of statewide oversight has led to excessive caseloads for Illinois public defenders, study says
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Illinois is one of just seven states with no statewide oversight of public defenders. A new bill passed by the Illinois General Assembly would create a task force to further study public defender caseloads and quality of representation.
Cook County Public Defender
Cook County’s new public defender seeks more visibility — and money — for his office
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Sharone Mitchell Jr., who took over the public defender’s office in April, hopes to add more attorneys and work with community groups fighting for racial justice and systemic change.
Data
Court backlog leaves hundreds of people in Cook County Jail for more than a year
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Covid-19 restrictions have led to a growing felony court backlog in Cook County. To clear it, “we have to move faster than normal,” one expert said.
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Secretaria del Tribunal Iris Martínez asegura transparencia con nuevo proyecto de ley. Sus críticos dicen que dicha propuesta es lo opuesto a lo que ella prometió.
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La secretaria del Tribunal del Circuito del Condado de Cook Iris Martínez ha dado pie atrás a su promesa de campaña de darle al público más acceso a los registros de su oficina bajo la Ley de Libertad de Información del estado.
News
Circuit Court Clerk touts transparency with new bill. Critics say it’s not what she promised.
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As a candidate, Iris Martinez said the Freedom of Information Act was the ‘only way’ to address problems in the scandal-plagued office, but now she backs a transparency bill that critics say is toothless.