Contact: Illinois Judges Association

312-431-1283 or [email protected] 

News Release 

The Illinois Judges Association (IJA) is excited to share its latest series of informational videos designed to educate the public about the highly-publicized and much-anticipated changes brought about by the implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act (also known as the SAFE-T Act) and the elimination of cash bond in Illinois.  

“We hope these short videos will, in a very clear and concise fashion,  answer some of the most pressing questions and concerns citizens of Illinois may have and help explain a judge’s role under the new laws that, among other changes, eliminate cash bond,” said IJA President and Illinois Supreme Court Justice David Overstreet 

Each of the three short vignettes feature IJA judges in a setting as a “man (or woman) on the street” asking important questions about the new legislation and then a different judge answering those questions in a new “first appearance” courtroom.  The videos will be distributed to courtrooms and legal organizations throughout the state. They will also be posted on social media channels. Please consider sharing the downloadable videos with your audiences:

WHAT DOES THE ELIMINATION OF CASH BOND MEAN FOR YOU? 

Illinois Judges Can No Longer Require Any Cash Bond:

Permissible Pretrial Release Conditions Other Than Cash Bond: 

An Arrestee’s Rights in First Appearance Court:

The project is the latest in a series of community programs undertaken by the Illinois Judges Association’s Media Committee. 

The Illinois Judges Association is a membership organization of 1,250 active and retired judges whose purpose is to foster public confidence in the independence of the judiciary, provide services and education to its members, and information about court operations to the public. 

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