News Room

The Daily Herald examines the new Pretrial Fairness Act Dashboard available on www.cookcountycourt.org. Read it here:

How’s cashless bail going? Here’s what the data says (dailyherald.com)

CHICAGO – The Circuit Court of Cook County’s recently redesigned website now features weekly statistics on court attendance and the rates at which defendants avoid new charges while on pretrial release.

CHICAGO – The Circuit Court of Cook County has launched a renovated, easier-to-navigate website at cookcountycourt.org.

The redesigned website replaces a previous version that was more than 12 years old and regularly viewed by more than 1 million users annually.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans and the court’s Nominating Committee today announced the names of the six candidates who will be on the ballot for circuit judges to vote to fill three associate judge vacancies.

The Circuit Court of Cook County is the recipient of a $450,000 federal grant to assist in creating alternatives to youth detention. The grant, funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), will help with the construction and operation of assessment centers and “Community Centers of Care.”

On Jan. 9, 2024, the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC), the agency with oversight over state courts and detention centers, announced that the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (JTDC) has met or exceeded all state requirements for juvenile safety and well-being. 

Due to the extremely cold weather predicted for Tuesday, January 16 that may adversely impact the health and safety of court personnel and litigants, the Circuit Court of Cook County is encouraging participants to attend court remotely, if possible, said Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans.

Due to a weather-related power outage which has closed the Fifth Municipal District courthouse in Bridgeview on Friday, all Fifth District misdemeanor, civil, traffic, and felony cases will receive other dates, said Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans and Fifth Municipal District Presiding Judge Kerry M. Kennedy.

For misdemeanor and traffic cases, the Circuit Court Clerk will notify defendants of their next court dates, said Judge Kennedy.

All civil cases will be continued until Tuesday, Jan. 16, unless already continued.

Due to predictions of significant snowfall on Friday, particularly in northwest suburban Cook County, all defendants and witnesses who have hearings in the Third Municipal District can use video conference (Zoom) to attend proceedings, rather than coming to the Rolling Meadows courthouse in person, said Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans and Third Municipal District Presiding Judge Jill Cerone-Marisie.

The Skokie Mental Health Court, which was featured in an award-winning documentary film, will graduate four participants on Thursday, December 14, at a special ceremony, according to Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans.

This will be the final graduation ceremony for the Mental Health Court’s presiding judge, the Hon. Lauren Edidin, who has presided over the court for 12 years and is retiring. The ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. in Room 201 at the Second Municipal District Courthouse, 5600 Old Orchard Road, in Skokie.