Criminal Courts Archives - Page 2 of 39 - Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts

Cook County State’s Attorney’s Rollback of Do-Not-Call and Disclosure Lists is Alarming and Dangerous

Maintaining lists of discredited cops is a basic and vital step in preventing wrongful convictions and fulfilling United States Supreme Court obligations, which require prosecutors to turn over exculpatory evidence (any evidence that might point toward the innocence of a defendant) or other informat...

NEW—The Impact of the Pretrial Fairness Act on Electronic Monitoring in Cook County: Report

Today, Chicago Appleseed published a new report, The Impact of the Pretrial Fairness Act on Electronic Monitoring in Cook County, examining the impacts of the legislative reforms on Cook County’s pretrial electronic monitoring (EM) system. These reforms, initiated as part of the Pretrial Fairnes...

The Arbitrary Divide: Understanding Simple vs. Aggravated Unlawful Possession of a Weapon

Written by Emily Drevdahl, Loyola School of Law, and Julian D. Cohen, Brown University. Over the past several years, gun possession charges have surged to become one of the most common offenses in Illinois, prompting some scholars to argue that the War on Drugs has evolved into a “War on Guns...

Victory: Pretrial Success Grant Program Preserved, Funding Kept for Critical Pretrial Services

On May 31, the Illinois General Assembly passed its annual budget, including a measure to ensure continued funding of the Pretrial Success grant program. Established in 2024 as part of the Pretrial Success Act, the program funds organizations that provide voluntary services aimed at ensuring individ...

VICTORY: The FAIR Act Passes, Office of State Public Defender Will Be Established

On May 31, 2025, the Funded Advocacy & Independent Representation (FAIR) Act was passed by both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly. The FAIR Act requires Illinois to establish an Office of the State Public Defender; Illinois will join 45 states in our nation in creating a public oversight...

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