On Tuesday, the Illinois Supreme Court issued a 43-page Opinion affirming the validity of the SAFE-T Act. In doing so, it overturned the trial court’s previous ruling.
The court clarified that the Illinois Constitution of 1970 does not mandate monetary bail as the sole method for ensuring criminal defendants’ appearance in trials or protecting the public. Instead, the state constitution strikes a balance between the individual rights of defendants and the individual rights of crime victims.
According to the court’s analysis, the pretrial release provisions outlined in the SAFE-T Act align with this delicate balance. As a result, the court reversed the circuit court’s decision to grant summary judgment in favor of the plaintiffs.