(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Citing what it called a “dramatic” increase in the number of appeals to judges' decisions over whether to hold defendants before their trials, the Illinois Supreme Court has set up a task force.
The task force will review appeals of pretrial hearing decisions and look at the impact of the caseloads on the appellate courts.
The members of the panel are appellate judges themselves — one from each of the state’s five districts.
The Illinois Supreme Court said there were 1,376 appeals filed between September 2023, when the Pretrial Fairness Act took effect, and the end of the year.
Only 12% of those appeals came from Chicago and Cook County. Nearly one in every three appeals came from District 4, which includes Springfield, Peoria and Bloomington.
The task force is expected to hold its first meeting this month.
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