Illinois Supreme Court

State lawmakers passed and the governor signed the criminal justice reform back in 2021. Originally scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2023, lawsuits slowed the SAFE-T Act's enactment. The legislation includes the elimination of cash bail.

Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis said the decision was made due to “the anticipated volume of investigations and hearings on pretrial detention” when bail reform goes into effect Sept. 18.

The opinion was handed down in a lawsuit by a central Illinois lawmaker who argued that banning the sale of high-powered rifles and high-capacity magazines violates the state constitution.

Partisan 5-2 ruling says state’s constitution does not guarantee right to monetary bail.

Lisa Holder White is the newest member of the Illinois Supreme Court. She was sworn in nearly one year ago.

Illinois' high court put the SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform — short for Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today — on hold in December just hours before it was scheduled to take effect. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard arguments in the case.

The future of cash bail in Illinois is in the hands of the state’s Supreme Court.

The law at question bans the sale and manufacture of a long list of firearms defined as “assault weapons."

Legal advocates discuss the future of the law to eliminate cash bail in Illinois, now that the state Supreme Court has halted its implementation.

The justices issued their order Saturday evening, hours before the new law was slated to take effect, to maintain the status quo across the state.