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Testify is The Marshall Project’s investigation into Cuyahoga County’s Criminal Courts. Learn more here.
A photo of the Cuyahoga County Justice Center building is overlayed with the underlined word, "Testify".
Testify March 23
What Are the ‘Exit Ramps’ From Incarceration in Cuyahoga County?
Help us report on how well the courts provide people charged with low-level felonies a second chance.
By Alexandra Arriaga
Testify December 27, 2022
Cleveland Courts’ Revolving Door in One Chart
A portrait of Cuyahoga County’s repeat defendants.
By Ilica Mahajan and David Eads
Testify October 26, 2022
How We Analyzed Cases of People Cycling In and Out of Cleveland’s Courts
The Marshall Project examined tens of thousands of criminal cases in Cuyahoga County.
By Ilica Mahajan and David Eads
A illustration shows the figure of a person standing in front of a police car with red and blue lights on. Two officers stand in the foreground looking on.
Testify October 26, 2022
Five Things to Know About Cleveland Courts’ Revolving Door
In most cases, people who repeatedly appear before the courts are not committing violent crimes.
By Wesley Lowery and Ilica Mahajan
An illustration shows the figure of a person standing in front of the facade of a court building with columns. There are clouds behind the building facade and the color scheme of the illustration is blue, red, and black.
Testify October 26, 2022
Who’s Really Cycling In and Out of Cleveland’s Courts?
Often miscast as violent criminals, most repeat defendants commit nonviolent crimes borne out of untreated addiction and mental illness, a Marshall Project analysis shows.
By Wesley Lowery and Ilica Mahajan
Testify June 1, 2022
We’re Answering Your Questions About Cleveland’s Court System
We’re answering questions from the community about Cuyahoga County’s criminal courts, and sharing what we have gathered from the public docket of felony cases.
By Ilica Mahajan, Rachel Dissell and Anna Flagg
Testify January 27, 2022
How We Reported on Voting and Criminal Courts in Cuyahoga County
The Marshall Project spent months analyzing court records and voting patterns to understand who chooses county judges and who experiences the consequences.
By David Eads, Ilica Mahajan and Anna Flagg
This illustration shows a judge at a desk with a gavel, looming high above a group of people waiting for verdicts in their criminal cases.
Testify January 27, 2022
Judges Have Real Power in Cleveland. Who’s Voting for Them?
Our guide explains who votes, who doesn’t — and why.
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Highlighted quotes from people in Cleveland, including "What is their philosophy on children and families?" and "What are their agendas for helping Black and other minorities of color?"
Testify January 27, 2022
We Asked People in Cleveland What They Want to Know About Judges
They want to know about judges’ track records, legal experience and how they think about rehabilitation vs. prison time.
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People are lined up outside the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, wearing winter clothing, waiting to vote.
Testify January 27, 2022
Who’s Electing Judges in the Cleveland Area? Not Those Ensnared in the System
In Cuyahoga County, voting patterns have resulted in mostly White judges deciding the fate of mostly Black criminal defendants.
By Rachel Dissell, Ilica Mahajan, Anna Flagg and Wesley Lowery
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