CHICAGO, IL, Dec. 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.
It is a process that has decimated communities and turned Illinois courtrooms into auction blocks.
The time has come to end this unserious policy.
The Cook County Public Defender's Office is relieved that the Illinois Supreme Court will have the opportunity to clarify the constitutionality of the Pretrial Fairness Act soon. In the meantime, we expect the law to go into effect on January 1, 2023 in Cook County.
About us: The Cook County Public Defender's mission is to protect the fundamental rights, liberties and dignity of each person whose case has been entrusted to us by providing the finest legal representation.
The Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender is one of the largest criminal defense firms in the United States, with more than 450 attorneys and more than 650 employees overall. Each year the office represents tens of thousands of Cook County residents charged with every type of criminal offense and child protection violation.
Contact:
Fiona Ortiz, Deputy of Communications