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    The Courts

    Stories about court processes and procedures, appellate dockets, bail reform, and other aspects of the court system.

    Eisha Love and other advocates are fighting to change Illinois’ name-change statute. They say the law disproportionately affects trans people.

    Trans people with felony convictions fight for right to change names in Illinois

    By Max Lubbers | April 21, 2022

    Advocates say the state’s name-change law disproportionately affects trans people. But recent efforts to change the law have hit roadblocks.

    Robert Smith on March 14, 2022 sitting in a wheelchair outside his Roseland home.

    Former Chicago police superintendent accused of lying in murder case

    Man walks out of prison 28 years early — with the help of a prosecutor

    Judge Vincent Gaughan presides over a hearing for Jason Van Dyke at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building in Chicago.

    Data highlights leniency of ex-officer Jason Van Dyke’s murder sentence

    Silhouetted figures approach a maze with the scales of justice fallen on their side in the center.

    Panel weighs problems and solutions at Cook County domestic violence court

    News
    A close-up shot of a person's leg with a black square monitor strapped to their ankle. The monitor says

    SCRAM vendor continues to operate despite lapsed contract with Cook County

    By Maya Dukmasova | August 5, 2022

    With no oversight from county officials or direction from the chief judge, a private contractor continues to profit from court-ordered alcohol monitors.

    News
    A sign reads,

    Did pandemic relief avert an eviction crisis in Chicago? The full picture remains murky.

    By Grace Asiegbu | July 22, 2022

    A court order filed this week will grant Injustice Watch access to previously unavailable eviction data during the pandemic.

    Coronavirus

    ‘Like being in hell’: Detainees offer window into Cook County Jail’s Covid-19 surge

    By Max Lubbers | February 8, 2022

    As the number of Covid-19 cases at the Cook County Jail hit a record high in January, people detained there accused the jail of inadequate testing and quarantine measures, poor social distancing, and unsanitary conditions.

    Judicial Conduct

    Cook County Judge Raúl Vega is retiring under a cloud of allegations

    By Kelly Garcia (Chicago Reader) | January 27, 2022

    The former top judge of Cook County’s domestic violence court, Vega will retire with a lifetime pension, despite accusations from women in his courtroom that he mistreated them.

    A woman surrounded by flowers breaks through prison bars, with the words
    News

    Prosecutors said her sexual orientation was motive to kill. Now, she’s asking Illinois’ governor for clemency.

    By Chloe Hilles | January 26, 2022

    Bernina Mata’s case sheds light on the ‘abuse-to-prison pipeline’ and the infrequency of clemency approvals.

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    Injustice Watch is a nonpartisan, nonprofit journalism organization that conducts in-depth research exposing institutional failures that obstruct justice and equality.

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