People held in custody by Chicago police will have access to an attorney at no charge under an order signed Tuesday by Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans.
The aim of the change is to rectify a glaring constitutional issue — the vast majority of those arrested in Chicago don't receive legal representation until their bail hearing in court, often after they've already made incriminating statements to detectives, according to research by a legal aid group.
Many key players in the legal system applauded Evans' move, which some declared "ground-breaking."