ST. LOUIS, Mo.- Cash Bond will no longer exist in Illinois as the state's Supreme Court ruled on July 18 that a new law to eliminate cash bail was constitutional, making Illinois the first state to eliminate cash bail it. The new law is set to take effect on Sept. 18.
Judge Andrew Gleeson, Chief Judge of the 20th Judicial Circuit in Illinois, joined Total Information A.M. to discuss the Illinois Supreme Court's ruling and its potential implications for judges and citizens.
"This is an overhaul of a system I've known in my 40 years of my legal career," Gleeson said, "We're meeting weekly with all aspects of the criminal justice system to try to figure out the procedures "
Gleeson explains that judges will still have discretion in deciding whether to detain individuals pretrial based on factors such as the danger they pose to the community or specific individuals.
However, Judge Gleeson does shares his concerns about implementing the changes and addressing logistical challenges, with concerns for more courtroom space and the workloads of the public defender's office as the main concerns.
"I'm going to need a dedicated courtroom space that I don't presently have," Gleeson said, "I have a concern with the Public Defender's office. Their workload already are significant and the change in this law will probably going to mean their caseloads are going to significantly increase."
He also emphasizes the importance of ensuring constitutional rights are protected and discusses the need for dedicated courtrooms and personnel to handle the increased case load resulting from the elimination of cash bail.