Chicago Legal Support
For legal help, write these numbers on your body in permanent marker before any action. Paper can be confiscated. Your skin cannot.
Immediate Arrest Support
National Lawyers Guild (NLG) Chicago 📞 (872) 465-4244
- Use for legal observer requests before planned actions
- Use for legal support when arrested at a protest
- They maintain a hotline during major actions
First Defense Legal Aid (FDLA) — 24/7 Hotline 📞 (800) 529-7374
- 24-hour hotline for anyone in police custody
- Can help coordinate lawyers for detained individuals
- Covers Cook County and surrounding areas
Additional Legal Resources
American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois 📞 (312) 201-9740
- aclu-il.org
- Civil rights complaints and systemic litigation
Chicago Volunteer Legal Services 📞 (312) 332-1624
- chivls.org
- Free civil legal assistance
Legal Aid Chicago 📞 (312) 341-1070
- legalaidchicago.org
- Civil legal services for low-income residents
Know Your Rights in Illinois
During a Terry Stop (detained but not arrested):
- You must provide your name and address under Illinois law (725 ILCS 5/107-14)
- You do NOT have to answer any other questions
- Say: “I am invoking my Fifth Amendment right to remain silent.”
If Arrested:
- Do not resist physically
- State: “I am invoking my right to remain silent and my right to an attorney.”
- Say nothing else until you have spoken with a lawyer
- Your phone call: contact your jail support first, then NLG/FDLA
Your devices:
- Police cannot search your phone without a warrant (Riley v. California, 2014)
- Power off your device and do not provide your passcode
- State: “I do not consent to a search of my device.”
See the full Know Your Rights guide for complete information.
Jail Support Protocol
Your organization should designate a Jail Support Coordinator who:
- Does NOT attend the action
- Has the full legal name, date of birth, and medical info for every participant who might be arrested
- Monitors the Cook County electronic booking system (cookcountysheriff.org)
- Coordinates bail, release, and transportation
- Brings food, water, and warm clothing for late-night releases
Cook County Jail inmate lookup: cookcountysheriff.org/inmate-info/ Chicago Police Department District contact: chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cpd/provdrs/get_invol_info.html
This guide does not constitute legal advice. Laws change — verify current information with NLG or FDLA.