Letter: Credit judges for ending cash bond

Letter to the Editor

By Sarah M. Staudt

Sarah M. Staudt is senior policy analyst and staff attorney for Chicago Appleseed. She writes on behalf of the Criminal Justice Advisory Committee of Chicago Appleseed and the Chicago Council of Lawyers.

Posted November 6, 2018 10:18 AM

In July 2017, Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans took a historic step forward for justice. He issued a general order to the judges who preside over Cook County felony bond court to immediately stop using money bond to keep arrestees in jail simply because they could not afford to pay their way out.In doing so, he joined a national movement of court reformers seeking to end money bond.Through his order, Judge Evans affirmed what should be a fundamental tenet of any criminal justice system: That the amount of money a defendant or …

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