IL HR0616

Illinois Supreme Court issued emergency COVID-19 procedures in March 2020 allowing remote court appearances, followed by a May 2020 policy encouraging broad use of remote technology in civil proceedings.

National Juvenile Defender Center report from March 2021 concluded that remote hearings threaten children's constitutional rights, effective legal representation, and due process, and have magnified disparate treatment of youth of color.

Cook County study of over 645,000 felony bond hearings between 1991 and 2007 found average bond amounts were 51 percent higher in virtual hearings, with some cases seeing increases up to 91 percent.

Resolution urges Illinois Supreme Court to transition juvenile court hearings under Article V of the Juvenile Court Act back to in-person proceedings with priority for cases involving liberty interests, while using remote technology only as a last resort during public health crises.

Resolution requests rights-based approach to remote court policies that protects children's rights to in-person participation, confrontation with counsel, and fair trial access.