Judicial Elections
Chicago alderperson eyes a seat on the bench in 2022 election
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West Side Ald. Chris Taliaferro, a former police sergeant, wants a seat on the 11th judicial subcircuit, which covers parts of Chicago’s West Side and nearby suburbs.
Immigration
Pritzker signs bill allowing Cook County public defender’s office to handle deportation cases
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But a lack of funding and personnel could drastically limit how many immigrants the county can represent.
Housing
Have you struggled with housing during the Covid-19 crisis?
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Half of Cook County renters were already “cost-burdened” before the pandemic, paying more than half of their income in rent. Widespread layoffs, a patchwork of protections, and the slow rollout of rental assistance have created confusion and a looming eviction crisis. We want you to be part of our reporting process as we investigate how renters are navigating these systems.
News
Cook County domestic violence court continues video proceedings under chief judge’s order
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Advocates have raised concerns about courtroom accessibility and how survivors are treated in the domestic violence division.
The Circuit
Explore nearly two decades of Cook County court data
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The Circuit, our project with the Better Government Association and DataMade, examines Cook County criminal court data from over 3 million cases between 2000 and 2018. Now you can view the charges in our data broken down by race, gender, and ethnicity.
News
Cook County courts unveil ‘diverse’ slate of associate judge finalists
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On Tuesday, the chief judge’s office released the names of 44 candidates, half of whom will be chosen by circuit judges to fill vacancies.
Housing
‘I don’t sleep very well anymore:’ Many LGBTQ+ people face economic cliff if eviction protections end
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LGBTQ+ people, who already are more likely to experience housing insecurity, get some relief with a new partial moratorium eviction. But they will face barriers to accessing aid when it expires in October.
The Courts
Chicago advocates press chief judge on domestic violence court access, treatment of survivors
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Survivors of gender-based violence face barriers to court access that have worsened amid the Covid-19 pandemic, advocates and attorneys say. Chief Judge Tim Evans has pledged to enact changes in response to the criticism.
News
Illinois to end immigrant detention with new bill
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Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Illinois Way Forward Act today, which will end immigrant detention in the state in 2022 and expand protections for immigrant communities.
Housing
Illinois’ eviction ban ends in August. Here’s what happens next for tenants with unpaid rent.
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Thousands of tenants risk losing their homes when the eviction moratorium ends. Illinois courts issued an order addressing the issue. But is it enough?