Cook County’s Chief Judge Is Making It Easier For Arrestees To Get Attorneys At Police Stations

By Susie An
Cook County Jail
In this June 26, 2014 file photo, an inmate at the Cook County Jail is escorted through a doorway by a security guard in Chicago. Charles Rex Arbogast / Associated Press
Cook County Jail
In this June 26, 2014 file photo, an inmate at the Cook County Jail is escorted through a doorway by a security guard in Chicago. Charles Rex Arbogast / Associated Press

Cook County’s Chief Judge Is Making It Easier For Arrestees To Get Attorneys At Police Stations

By Susie An
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Cook County’s Chief Judge signed an order Wednesday that will allow people held in police stations easier access to an attorney. Less than one percent of people arrested in Chicago consult with an attorney while at the police station. Most get representation at their first court appearance. Chief Judge Tim Evans signed an order that designates public defenders or volunteer attorneys to go to police stations for arrestees that make the request.