Thursday, April 17, 2025
With many county public defender offices pushed to the limits throughout Illinois, state lawmakers are moving forward on legislation to create a statewide public defender office.
The Illinois Supreme Court announced amendments to M.R. Order 29741 which will eliminate filing and appearance fees in minor guardianship cases and appearance fees in small claim cases. The amended rules are effective October 1, 2025.
Nineteen Illinois inmates have filed a class-action lawsuit alleging the state’s prison system substitutes punishment for treatment when it comes to mental health.
Judge Daniel Shanes picked a third-party attorney to review a joint request by Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart and lawyers for Marvin Williford to vacate the 53-year-old man’s murder conviction for a killing more than two decades ago. “The adversarial process, vital to the administration of justice, is absent here,” Shanes wrote.
The bill’s future is uncertain as it draws fierce opposition from homeschool families, a threat against its sponsor prompting a police investigation and shaky support from Democrats.