The Illinois Supreme Court Pretrial Implementation Task Force (Task Force) hosted its first in a series of monthly town hall meetings on June 23 via Zoom with over 160 individuals in attendance. The Task Force also launched a new webpage on the Illinois Courts website to provide updates as the state prepares for changes coming once the Pretrial Fairness Act (PFA) goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2023.
The Hon. Robbin Stuckert (ret.) serves as Chair of the Task Force and served as the lead for the Town Hall meeting. Speakers included Task Force subcommittee members 16th Circuit Chief Judge Clint Hull, Director of the Illinois Justice Project Garien Gatewood, Director of the Illinois Supreme Court Judicial College Cyrana Mott, Director of Communications Christopher Bonjean, and the Office of Statewide Pretrial Services Director the Hon. Cara LeFevour Smith.
Speakers discussed the work of their subcommittees and answered chat questions from attendees and stakeholders. Additional information on the subcommittees can be found here.
Professor Don Stemen, PhD of Loyola University Chicago described in the Town Hall the work of he and Professor David Olson in tracking the Pretrial Fairness Act in Illinois. Their work can be found here.
The Town Hall meetings are intended to update court and other criminal justice stakeholders, as well as community partners and the public, on the work of the Task Force as it prepares for the changes coming once the PFA goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2023.
Future town hall meetings are scheduled for the third Thursday of the month at noon: July 21, August 18, September 15 and continuing into 2023. More information, including video from the Town Hall, is available on the website and any questions regarding the town halls and the work of the Task Force can be sent to pretrialtaskforce@illinoiscourts.gov.