What's New in Youth Justice

Illinois Supreme Court Rules 307 and 660 Amended: On October 15, 2026, the Illinois Supreme Court amended rules 307 and 660 to allow for interlocutory appeals as of right after any order granting transfer to adult court in juvenile cases. The amended rules can be found HERE. A notice of appeal in compliance with the rules must be filed within 30 days of any order granting transfer.
Update To Illinois Detention Law: Public Act 104-0449, a Juvenile Detention Reform Bill which gradually increases the minimum age for the detention of Illinois youth from 10 to 13, and creates a commission to study the viability of raising the age to 14 took effect on July 1, 2026. As of that date, youth under 12 years of age are no longer able to be detained; the next age increase will take effect on July 1, 2027. Read full text of the new law: here.

The Gault Center has released the 2026 Trial Manual for Defense Attorneys in Juvenile Delinquency Cases.This Trial Manual is updated every year and includes 39 chapters, detailing the latest caselaw and step-by-step guidelines on how to work with young people to defend them against charges in juvenile court from beginning to end. This Manual is a vital resource for youth defenders, and we encourage everyone to check out the latest update. Trial Manual Please note that some resources are only available to registered youth defense users; to access, please log in or register on the Gault Center's website.

The JDRC continues to add free on-demand classes to its CLE library for members! Click HERE for more details.

The JDRC has funds available in its Trial Attorney Assistance Program for FY 2026-27. These funds may be used for expert evaluations and/or witnesses or investigators and are open to public defenders, appointed, and pro bono counsel representing youth under the age of 18. For more information or to apply for funding, email us at JDRC@OSAD.state.il.us.

The JDRC Youth Case Law Summaries have been updated through May 31, 2025.

Our Mission

To promote excellence in juvenile defense, and fairness for all youth in conflict with the law, through the development of model systems, advocacy, training, and resources.

YOUTH DATA RESOURCES

Life Sentences Database from Duke University Law School:
https://wcsj-dukelaw.shinyapps.io/life-sentences-dashboard/

Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority- Juvenile Dashboard:
https://icjia.illinois.gov/researchhub/datasets/
illinois-juvenile-justice-data-dashboard-dataset/

Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission Reports:
https://ijjc.illinois.gov/resources
/publications/reports/

Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice:
https://idjj.illinois.gov/about-us/data-and-reports.html

The Sentencing Project-Disparities in Youth Sentencing Fact Sheets: Sentencing Fact Sheets

NEWS / UPDATES

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