Supreme Court ends public defender dispute

The Illinois Supreme Court has settled a dispute between the Cook County Public Defender's office and a municipal judge accused of improperly removing a defense attorney from cases last year.

In an order released Thursday, the court says Judge Lawrence Terrell overstepped his authority in keeping the unnamed assistant public defender from representing at least 15 defendants.

Terrell recused himself from more than 50 other cases. The court says Terrell never gave a reason for his actions. The attorney was eventually assigned to another courtroom.

The justices ordered Terrell to give cases requiring a public defender to the attorney assigned to his courtroom from now on.

Messages left for Terrell and Public Defender Edwin Burnette were not immediately returned.