The pervasive cases of victim, civil, and human rights violations throughout the justice system are countless and disturbing. But what is even more troubling is the insurmountable wall we often encounter while trying to hold offenders accountable. This is largely due to a critical factor: qualified immunity laws. These laws create daunting loopholes that shield abusers from accountability. 

Qualified immunity essentially grants government officials immunity from civil suits unless the plaintiff shows the official violated "clearly established statutory or constitutional rights of which a reasonable person would have known". It's this immunity, this protective halo, that often serves as a sanctuary for rogue actors within our system.

According to a study by Reuters, over a timespan of two years, judges dismissed 57% of the 505 cases involving qualified immunity, supporting the officers about half of the time (Reuters, 2020). This means well over half of the victims seeking justice during this period were left unheard simply because of this legislative shield.

Other states have started to implement these reforms to their own laws including New Mexico, Colorado, Montana and Nevada. We ask you to join us in our fight for justice in Illinois. Let's work together for a fair and transparent judiciary that is not blind to the transgressions of its own personnel. It's high time we amend these laws to eliminate qualified immunity loopholes. Support us in our quest to end qualified immunity protections in Illinois, let's ensure justice is a right, not a privilege. Please, sign this petition in support of ending qualified immunity in Illinois. Your signature will provide the motivation and much needed support our legislators need to move this legislation forward.