This morning, the ACLU of Illinois participated in an argument before a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in our case seeking to improve conditions at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (JTDC). The argument today grew out of a challenge by the local union representing employees at the JTDC which objected to changes being made at the facility.
Today’s argument centered on a number of technical issues, mainly matters relating to the federal district court’s power under the Prison Litigation Reform Act. ACLU of Illinois Associate Legal Director Ben Wolf urged that the panel not elevate ‘form over substance” and reminded the Court that the “conditions at the JTDC are still dangerous” for the children housed at the facility.
The Court asked for further briefing on a number of the issues raised during the argument. We will keep you posted on the course of this case.
