December 31, 2022
The Illinois Supreme Court today issued an order suspending implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act while it reviews a lower court opinion that found the law unconstitutional.
The Cook County Public Defender’s Office is disappointed that this historic and transformative law will not take effect as planned tomorrow, Jan. 1.
December 29, 2022
December 28, 2022
There are few practices in the criminal legal system more abhorrent than using access to wealth to determine whether someone is jailed while awaiting trial.
The use of money bond has always been an affront to several basic Constitutional principles, making a mockery of the presumption of innocence and reducing critical decisions to mere guesswork about what may or may not be in someone’s pocketbook.
November 22, 2022
The Cook County Public Defender’s Office is pleased to announce the swearing in of 25 new attorneys who are now Assistant Public Defenders in our office. This group of attorneys joins our professional family and our mission to protect the fundamental rights, liberties and dignity of each person whose case has been entrusted to us by providing the finest legal representation.
October 4, 2022
The Safety and Justice Challenge (SJC) is a national initiative supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to safely reduce the overutilization of jails and address racial and ethnic disparities in the criminal legal system. After receiving two planning grants in 2015 and 2016, Cook County received implementation grants in 2017, 2019 and 2021 to collaboratively develop strategies to reduce the Cook County jail population and disparities within it.
September 14, 2022
The Pretrial Fairness Act (PFA) is the part of the larger SAFE-T Act that was signed into law in February 2021. The law makes reforms to Illinois' criminal justice system centered on increasing Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity.
We are being inundated with misinformation about the Pretrial Fairness Act.
August 22, 2022
The calls come in day and night, seeking legal help for someone who has been arrested.
The Cook County Public Defender’s Arrest Hotline – 844-817-4448 – operates 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, taking calls and providing vital legal representation for people being detained by law enforcement anywhere in Chicago and Cook County.
No matter what the hour, an Assistant Public Defender immediately makes themselves available by phone or in person to provide expert legal assistance.
July 27, 2022
Do you need help getting back your suspended or revoked driver's license?
July 14, 2022
This piece was published in the Chicago Tribune on July 13, 2022. Read this article on the Chicago Tribune website here.
By Assistant Public Defenders Margaret Armalas and Megan Tomlinson
