In The News

Lawyers from the Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender provide advice to people seeking to learn how to expunge juvenile records.

Asst. Cook County Public Defenders Attend Lawndale Christian Legal Center Benefit Dinner

Asst. Cook County Public Defenders Attended Lawndale Christian Legal Center Benefit Dinner

Congratulations to Camille Durham, recipient of the IPDA 2018 Bruce Jacobs Award

The Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender has received numerous calls in recent weeks from individuals who were contacted by someone claiming to be an attorney from our office and soliciting money in exchange for providing legal representation to those individuals’ loved ones. Please be advised that this is a scam and any such calls should be reported to a local law enforcement agency. Under no circumstances would anyone from the Cook County Public Defender’s Office ask for payment of any kind for legal representation.

If you or someone that you know is arrested in Cook County, you are entitled to have an attorney from our office represent you at the police station for FREE. You can call us toll free at (844) 817 – 4448, to have an attorney come to a police station 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County has published the results of monitoring of the Model Bond Court Initiative, measuring 7 key performance figures.  Among the information reported is the jail population over the period from October 2017- March 2018, the amount of bond set as the result of the new policies, and the court attendance rate for those achieving pretrial release.  

Some highlights of the report show:

● General Population - From October 2017 to March 2018, the General Population decreased 12.1 %

Electronic monitoring — instituted nearly 30 years ago as a safety valve for an overcrowded county jail — has emerged as the latest battleground in the fight to reform bond court in Cook County, sparking heated debate over public safety in a city struggling to contain gun violence. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

Amy Campanelli, the Cook County Public Defender held an open house on April 26, to celebrate the completion of the renovation of their offices at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse.

Public defenders from across the country gathered in Denver last week to talk about best practices for diverting people suffering from mental health issues away from the criminal justice system at a conference hosted by the Equitas Project.

On February 24, 2018, Rich Central High School Mock Trial Team, coached by Cook County Public Defender Attorney Supervisor Connie Jordan, took 1st place in the Cook County 6th District Circuit Court High School Mock Trial competition.

The Cook County Public Defender's Office received the Clara Shortridge Foltz Award from the National Legal Aid and Defender Association and the American Bar Association. The award, bestowed every other year, recognizes a public defender program or defense delivery system for outstanding achievement in the provision of defense services to the poor.

Crystal Brown was awarded the Bruce Robert Jacobs Award by the Illinois Public Defender Association at its October 2017 meeting.