Today, the Illinois Supreme Court issued the strongest possible decision finding the Pretrial Fairness Act constitutional and directing courts across the state to implement the law and end the use of money bond on September 18, 2023. This ruling overturns a decision by a Kankakee County judge that sided with State’s Attorneys who challenged the law’s implementation. The Pretrial Fairness Act was signed into law in February 2021. 

The following statement has been issued by the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice in response to the court’s decision: 

“Today’s ruling in favor of the Pretrial Fairness Act ensures that Illinois will end money bond, one of the most glaring injustices in our criminal legal system. We are excited to work with stakeholders across Illinois to reduce pretrial jailing and build safer communities.

Every year, Illinois incarcerates a quarter million people in its county jails. A majority of those people are jailed only because they cannot afford to pay a money bond. The implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act will make Illinois the first state in the country to remove the price tag from the presumption of innocence. Ending money bond addresses both economic justice and racial justice issues in the pretrial system.”

Read the rest of the Network’s statement here!