Circuit Judge Adam Giganti holds IDHS Secretary Grace Hou in Contempt of Court for Failure to Admit Mentally-Ill Jail Inmate; State’s Attorney Wright Cites Continuing Harm to Crime Victims and Taxpayers
On November 17, 2022, Circuit Judge Adam Giganti granted Sangamon County State’s Attorney Dan Wright’s contempt petition against the Illinois Department of Human Services and IDHS Secretary Grace Hou. IDHS and Secretary Hou were held in contempt of court and fined $100 per day until DHS accepts the subject inmate for restorative psychiatric treatment as previously ordered by the Court. Wright has filed numerous contempt petitions against IDHS citing harm to mentally-ill inmates, crime victims, and taxpayers as a result of extensive delays by DHS in the admission of inmates ordered into its care for intensive psychiatric treatment. Wright and Sheriff Jack Campbell successfully argued in a separate case earlier this year that Governor JB Pritzker’s Executive Order regarding IDHS admissions was unlawful and secured a restraining order against the Governor and DHS.