Search

Thanks to a generous supporter, your donations to the ACLU of Ohio will be matched up to $100,000 through January 15th!

Despite broad consensus that Cuyahoga County’s bail system is in desperate need of reform, early bit of momentum from elected officials fizzled in 2020. Aside from pilot pretrial program at the Cleveland municipal level in which Judge Michelle Earley integrated call and text reminders of court dates and no jail time for the majority of low-level, non-violent offenses, little progress was made. With more than 60% of the felony charges in the common pleas court fed from the other 13 municipalities, the lack of county-wide solutions or meaningful coordination by county stakeholders means the cash bail system continues to deprive thousands of residents of freedom well before their court date.

We envision an Ohio where every eligible person can fully participate in a vibrant democracy—where every vote counts, every voice matters, and fair representation is the norm.