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.
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.
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.
Commentary
3 challenges and opportunities for the new Cook County public defender
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A fair and equitable justice system depends on the public defenders whose job it is to represent those people who cannot afford a lawyer. Public defense work is civil rights work. It is the public defender who raises questions about interrogation methods, unlawful police stops, and excessive bail. It is also racial justice work. Nowhere is racial injustice more apparent than in the impact our criminal laws have had on people of color, particularly Black people.
News
Cook County replaced its public defender. But she’s not done fighting yet.
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In an exclusive interview during her last week in office, Amy Campanelli said she has ‘no regrets’ and continued to rail against police and a system that she called ‘racist’ and ‘very unfair.’
Collateral Consequences
Cook County aims to disrupt the conviction-to-deportation pipeline
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A new unit within the Cook County public defender’s office wants better representation for noncitizens clients at risk of being deported.
News
Fewer suspects held pretrial under new bond rules, chief judge says
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Cook County Circuit Court Chief Judge says the new rules he imposed on bond court have driven down the number of pretrial detainees ordered to post cash to be released from custody. “The new system is doing just what I had promised you it would do,” he tells Cook County commissioners at Friday hearing.