2025 News Archive

CBS 2 Chicago's Shardaa Gray's report on the June 25, 2025 graduation of the Englewood Restorative Justice Community Court.

https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/englewood-restorative-justice-community-court-graduation-2025/

WGN's Bronagh Tumulty highlights the June 25, 2025 graduation of 22 participants in the Englewood Restorative Justice Community Court.

https://wgntv.com/news/chicago-news/englewood-graduates-celebrate-fresh-starts-through-restorative-justice-program/

When Xavier Smith was arrested for driving a vehicle he alleges he didn’t know was stolen, it was just the latest life-altering event to occur to the 26-year-old. Despite a childhood spent in foster care and being an unhoused adult who recently experienced the violent shooting death of his infant daughter and her mother, he vows this most recent setback has actually put him on the right track for the first time.

It’s graduation season, and many Chicago-area families are celebrating their children’s graduation from colleges and universities. Unfortunately, some young people involved in the criminal justice system have never considered college for themselves and see a limited future.

Chicago Daily Law Bulletin profiles newly appointed Acting Presiding Judge of the Law Division Thomas V. Lyons.

https://www.lawyerport.com/chicagolawbulletin/lyons-aims-to-be-efficient-respectful-patient-as-head-of-law-division-20250611

Chief Judge Evans is pleased to announce the following judicial assignments.

The Hon. Thomas V. Lyons, II, has been appointed Acting Presiding Judge of the Law Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County, effective immediately.

Judge Lyons was appointed to the bench by the Illinois Supreme Court in 2008, and was elected to that position in 2010. Judge Lyons began his judicial career in Traffic Court, and then as a jury trial judge in the First Municipal District. Since 2014, Judge Lyons has served as a trial judge in the Law Division.

Nine individuals at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse will get a new beginning on Thursday afternoon when they graduate from the (W)RAP Drug Court program.

For Juanez Wakefield, graduation means victory over four decades of drug use and freedom from a drug delivery charge.

“I decided it was time to stop messing with my life,” said Wakefield, 53, who started using drugs at 13 and is now almost two years sober. She said her life is “awesome,” with a union job at Jewel and a studio apartment in Lincoln Park.

Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today posted a vacancy notice for the office of associate judge of the Cook County Circuit Court.

Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans penned a special editorial in today's Chicago Law Bulletin, to commemorate Law Day.

https://www.lawyerport.com/chicagolawbulletin/search-for-new-solutions-be-creative-20250428

Rebecca Acton was charged with burglary in 2009 and got probation. But she kept getting into trouble – failing to check in with her probation officer and catching new felony charges as she struggled with heroin addiction. 

Though none of the new charges stuck, Acton feared being sent to jail for violating probation. She went on the run, leaving the northern suburbs and moving to Wisconsin. Acton got off drugs. Then she wanted to go into motivational speaking and get a clean slate, which meant turning herself in.