>> AS WE'VE SAID MULTIPLE TIMES TODAY, THIS IS THE FIRST DAY THAT COURTROOMS ACROSS ILLINOIS ELIMINATED CASH BAIL, SO WHAT WAS IT LIKE ON THE GROUND AND IN COURT ROOMS?

WE WERE AT THE CRIMINAL COURT HOUSE AT 26th AND CALIFORNIA IN COOK COUNTY AND MATT JOINS US NOW.

I UNDERSTAND ONE JUDGE SAID THIS WAS A MASSIVE SHIFT THAT NEEDS TO BE TURNED AND IF IT DOES NOT, THEY EXPECT A LITTLE MAYHEM AT THE OUTSET.

YOU WERE AT THE COURTHOUSE TODAY.

ANY MAYHEM?

NO, THINGS MOVE PRETTY SMOOTHLY, ALL THINGS CONSIDERED FOR SUCH A DRASTIC CHANGE.

THERE WERE DIFFERENT HEARINGS HAPPENING IN DIFFERENT COURTROOMS AND SOME TIMING THINGS THAT WERE DIFFERENT BEFORE BUT THINGS OVERALL SEEMED TO GO FIND.

I DID NOT SEE ANY DELAYS, I SAID IN A COUPLE OF COURTROOMS TODAY , HEARINGS MOVED ON A FAIRLY NORMAL PACE.

NO ONE WAS LEFT BEHIND, THEY GOT THROUGH ALL THE HEARINGS AS THEY NORMALLY WOULD AND THERE DID NOT SEEM TO BE ANY HOLD UP.

CASH BAIL WAS SUPPOSED TO GO AWAY AT THE START OF THE YEAR, RIGHT?

SO IT'S NOT A SURPRISE WITH EXTRA NINE MONTHS OF LEEWAY THAT ATTORNEYS ON THE DEFENSE AND PROSECUTION SIDE HAD A EXTRA TIME TO REALLY GET THIS READY TO GO.

>> THESE BOND HEARINGS USUALLY GO RAPIDFIRE.

USUALLY LESS THAN ONE MINUTE, THE HEARING IS OVER.

THERE IS SOME KIND OF RESOLUTION .

DID THAT TAKE ANY LONGER TODAY?

>> IT DEPENDED ON THE COURTROOM.

SOME HAD ALREADY BEEN DECIDED THAT THESE PEOPLE WERE GOING TO BE RELEASED WITH OR WITHOUT CONDITIONS.

THOSE DID NOT TAKE A LOT OF TIME BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE THERE ARE DETENTION HEARINGS WERE PROSECUTORS HAVE TO DECIDE OR CONVINCE A JUDGE THAT THIS POSES SOME SORT OF FLIGHT RISK OR SAFETY RISK AND NEED TO BE HELD IN JAIL.

THOSE TAKE MORE TIME.

THAT THIS WAS ABOUT TO BE A BETTER PROCESS FOR DEFENDANTS.

JUDGES ARE SUPPOSED TO MAKE MORE INDIVIDUALIZED DECISIONS ON EACH ONE OF THESE CASES, TO GIVE DEFERENCE TO THESE CASES AND THEY ARE SUPPOSED AWAY EVERYTHING AHEAD OF THEM.

>> THERE WAS A DEFENDANT THAT HAD PEPPER SPRAYED FOUR POLICE OFFICERS DURING THE MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION.

WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE?

I UNDERSTAND THESE WERE FELONY CHARGES.

>> SHE USED TO BE CALLED IN CENTRAL BOND COURT , SHE WAS NOT SET TO BE DETAINED BUT WAS WAS -- FOR SPRING OFFICERS.

THREE WERE HOSPITALIZED, ONE DECLINED MEDICAL ATTENTION.

IF SHE HAD BEEN DETAINED ANY DAY EXCEPT TODAY A JUDGE MAY HAVE SET HER LIKELY ON CASH BOND THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO PAY OR NOT PAY .

TODAY, PROSECUTORS DID NOT SEEK TO DETAIN HER.

THEY SAID SHE WOULD BE ABLE TO BE RELEASED WITH CONDITIONS .

THE JUDGE NOTED THIS WAS HER FIRST ARREST SO SHE WAS ABLE TO LEAVE THE COURTHOUSE AFTER THIS HEARING.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JUDGES HAVE THE ABILITY TO DISCERN IS WHETHER PEOPLE WILL BE A DANGER TO SOMEONE ELSE OR THE COMMUNITY SO USING THOSE GUIDELINES IN THIS CASE, BUT PERHAPS AS YOU SAID, SHE HAD BEEN HAVING TO PAY SOME KIND OF BOND IN THE PAST.

WHAT HAPPENS IF SHE DOESN'T SHOW UP ?

IF SHE COMMITS ANOTHER CRIME HER ORDER FOR RELEASE WOULD BE REVOKED.

SHE COULD END UP BACK IN JAIL AS IF SHE HAD BEEN DETAINED.

>> I WANT TO ASK YOU ONE LAST QUESTION.

THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE.

HOW IS THIS LAW GOING TO AFFECT THEM?

IT IS DESIGNED TO HELP THEM AS WELL WITH PRETRIAL FAIRNESS.

PEOPLE CHARGED IN THOSE TYPES OF CASES CAN BE HELD FOR UP TO 48 HOURS BEFORE THEY GET A DETENTION HEARING AND WHILE MANY CHARGES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO DETAINED ARE FELONIES IN CERTAIN ASSAULT CASES, THEY CAN ALSO BE MISDEMEANORS.

THESE ARE ALL DESIGNED TO GIVE VICTIMS ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND PROTECTION IN THE EVENT THAT THEY ARE THE VICTIMS OF THESE TYPES OF CRIMES.

>> A MASSIVE LAW WITH SO MANY