Chicago City Wire

Eman Abdelhadi, an assistant professor at the University of Chicago, was arrested on October 3 at the Broadview ICE facility. She faces two Class 3 felony charges for aggravated battery of police officers and two Class A misdemeanors for resisting arrest and obstructing a police officer.

Contrarian has confirmed that Abdelhadi is being represented by the Cook County Public Defender’s Office. This office is generally tasked with representing defendants who cannot afford private counsel. According to its public guidance, public defenders are assigned to "people who cannot afford to hire a private attorney," and courts require defendants to complete an affidavit verifying their financial need after their initial appearance.

At her first court appearance on October 4, Abdelhadi was represented by a public defender and released after paying approximately $14 in court fees. While this representation is standard when someone is in custody, continued representation typically requires proof of financial hardship. State law and local administrative orders require such affidavits to confirm eligibility for public defense services.

However, during her second court appearance on October 7, Abdelhadi's public defender filed a demand for a speedy trial without an affidavit documenting her financial resources appearing in the case file as of Wednesday. This situation raises questions about whether Abdelhadi qualifies for taxpayer-funded legal assistance intended for those unable to pay for private attorneys.

Public records indicate that professors at Abdelhadi’s rank earn an average salary of $141,000 annually at the University of Chicago, based on data from the University of North Carolina and historical reporting from The Chicago Maroon. Additionally, she resides in an apartment listed last year at over $3,000 per month rent. These details suggest she likely does not meet the indigency threshold required by state law.

The use of public defense resources in this case comes amid ongoing concerns about staffing shortages within the Cook County Public Defender’s Office. Advocacy groups have reported that county public defenders are handling caseloads far above national standards; as recently as April, there was an estimated shortfall of nearly 150 attorneys and hundreds more support staff.

Illinois law allows courts or prosecutors to seek reimbursement from defendants found not to be indigent if they have received public defense services (Section 113-3.1 of the Illinois Code of Criminal Procedure). Contrarian calls on judges or prosecutors involved in this case to consider seeking repayment if it is determined that Abdelhadi does not qualify as indigent.

"Contrarian urges them to do so, in the interest of justice."