News Room

Chief Judge plans to name new director by September 30, 2014

As part of his plans for the orderly transition of the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center from a federal court appointed administrator to his office, Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans has established the Circuit Court of Cook County Committee on the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center. The committee is charged with recommending to the Chief Judge a list of finalists from among 45 individuals who applied to the Office of the Chief Judge for the position of executive director of the JTDC.  

Chief Judge Evans directs chief probation officer to resume supervisor promotion process as department-wide reorganization continues

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced that an internal fact-finding inquiry conducted by his office found no basis for allegations of favoritism in the exam for sworn supervisor administered by the court’s Adult Probation Department on June 3, 2014.

The fact-finding inquiry was conducted by a team of employees of the Office of the Chief Judge and included the following:

As the next step in his efforts to give increased focus and resources to pretrial services operations, Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today announced that he has appointed an assistant chief and two deputy chiefs to lead the  Pretrial Services Division of the Adult Probation Department. 

The three individuals selected by Chief Judge Evans, their titles and responsibilities are as follows:

Veteran director of training and policy selected from among department’s top management 

Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today announced the appointment of Rose Marie Golden as director of the court’s Juvenile Probation and Court Services Department effective immediately. She succeeds Michael J. Rohan who served as the department’s director from January 1994 until his retirement on Friday, May 30, 2014. 

One of the country’s oldest law firms specializing in employment law has been asked to look into allegations that high ranking officials in the Adult Probation Department of the Circuit Court of Cook County improperly cooperated in searches of probationers’ homes with local and federal law enforcement agencies.

Circuit Court conducts national search for new leadership in anticipation of transfer of Cook County’s juvenile detention center to the chief judge

The office of Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans is now accepting applications from qualified individuals to serve as superintendent/executive director of the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (JTDC).  

Chicago, IL, March 28, 2014 - Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans and the Nominating Committee of the Circuit Court of Cook County today announced the names of the 26 candidates that they selected to appear on the ballot from which the circuit judges will vote to fill 13 associate judge vacancies. 

The Nominating Committee is made up of the following circuit judges:

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans responds to the “Circuit Court of Cook County Pretrial Operational Review” issued this morning by the Illinois Supreme Court Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts

Evans also orders redesign of computer system to give officers necessary technology to track offenders

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today announced a change of leadership in the court’s two probation agencies for adult offenders, the Adult Probation Department and the Social Service Department, that he says will enable the departments to better serve the public, the judiciary and probationers.

Chief Judge sends letter to Cook County Board as he prepares for transition

The Circuit Court of Cook County will conduct a national search for the next person to lead the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center as it begins to prepare for the transfer of the Center from a federal court appointed administrator to the Circuit Court, according to Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today announced the appointment of Judge James P. Flannery, Jr. as Presiding Judge of the Law Division effective immediately. Judge Flannery, currently a trial judge in the Law Division, fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Law Division Presiding Judge William D. Maddux who retired January 11, 2014.

The Circuit Court of Cook County will be open for business tomorrow, Monday, January 6, 2014, as usual. However, due to expected extreme weather conditions, detainees held in the Cook County Jail will not be transported to their scheduled court appearances tomorrow, January 6, 2014, in all Circuit Court of Cook County court facilities except for the Leighton Criminal Court Building at 2600 S. California Avenue in Chicago.

Here, in Cook County, any meaningful discussion on how to improve court operations must be guided by what justice requires, not by politics. And that discussion must be grounded in the facts. The Cook County Board President is not completely faithful to the facts.

Lawyers from 20 Chicago law firms are being honored this week by the Circuit Court of Cook County for assisting domestic violence victims. These lawyers provide free legal services at the Domestic Violence Courthouse to persons seeking orders of protection through the Domestic Violence Division’s “Order of Protection Pro Bono Project” which is a collaboration between the Circuit Court of Cook county, the non-profit Domestic Violence Legal Clinic and local law firms.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced the Annual Arab-American Heritage Month Courthouse Tour of the Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street, will take place on Wednesday, November 13, 2013, beginning at 10 a.m.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced the Annual Polish Heritage Month Courthouse Tour of the Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street, will take place on Tuesday, October 29, 2013, beginning at 10 a.m.. 

The Daley Center is the main courthouse for the Circuit Court of Cook County, one of the nation’s largest unified court systems. Tour highlights include a visit to a courtroom to observe a civil trial in progress, an informal question and answer session with a judge and the opportunity to meet with bar association representatives.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced the Annual Italian Heritage Month Courthouse Tour of the Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street, will take place on Thursday, October 17, 2013, beginning at 10 a.m.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans was today elected to a fifth term as chief judge by an overwhelming majority of circuit judges voting. His new three year term will begin December 2, 2013.

Cook County Circuit Court to provide over-the-phone interpretations; website now available in 71 foreign languages;
bi-lingual signage added

Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County Timothy C. Evans announced that, for the first time ever, prosecutors throughout Cook County will receive data from nationwide court records for traffic offenders enabling them to provide judges with better information at the time of sentencing for minor traffic cases, thanks to a collaboration between the Circuit Court of Cook County, the Illinois Secretary of State and the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County. 

A unique pro bono program dedicated to helping pro se litigants in First Municipal District civil jury cases will mark two years of success at a reception honoring volunteers on May 30, 2013.

  First courthouse in system-wide rolling implementation

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced that starting Monday, April 15, 2013, the court will begin the enforcement of the full ban on all electronic communications and Internet devices at the George N. Leighton Criminal Court Building at 26^th and California. 

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced the court will observe Women’s History Month on Friday, March 22, 2013, with tours of the Richard J. Daley Center courthouse, 50 West Washington Street, Chicago.

The Women’s History Month Courthouse Tours will offer the public a sense of day-to-day operations in the Daley Center, which is the main courthouse of the Circuit Court of Cook County, one of the nation’s largest unified court systems.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans said he has been advised by Honorable Michael P. Toomin that Dan K. Webb and his firm, Winston & Strawn LLP, (Winston & Strawn) will no longer bill Cook County for attorney fees after December 31, 2012, In the Matter of the Death of David Koschman. 

Safety stressed for those in court; grace period for enforcement

Statement from Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans
Circuit Court of Cook County

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today agreed to a request by Judge Michael P. Toomin and submitted a letter to the Illinois Supreme Court requesting that a judge from outside of Cook County be assigned to preside over People v. Vanecko, 12 CR 22450. 

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today announced beginning January 14, 2013, the public will not be permitted to bring cell phones and other electronic devices into any Circuit Court of Cook County courthouse facility except for the Richard J. Daley Center Courthouse.  The ban will affect only those courthouse facilities in which criminal matters are heard.*

Included in the ban are all electronic devices capable of connecting to the Internet or making audio or video recordings, including laptops and tablet computers.

Even before they step into the courthouse, parents contemplating divorce can now take a parenting class online to help their children deal with the effects of divorce. 

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans and Domestic Relations Division Presiding Judge Grace G. Dickler announced the court is now offering parenting education classes online through a new interactive program, Children in Between Online (CIBO) at http://online.divorce-education.com.   

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans and Domestic Relations Division Presiding Judge Grace G. Dickler announced the court today will begin offering court ordered parenting education classes online through a new interactive program, Children in Between Online (CIBO) at http://online.divorce-education.com. 

Regarding the report in today's Chicago Sun-Times, the Office of the Chief Judge issued the following statement:

Judge Suan J. McDunn was removed from hearing cases in the Circuit Court of Cook County by Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans and her Presiding Judge Willam D. Maddux months ago, and has been on medical leave since that time. It is the policy of the Office of the Chief Judge not to comment on the extent or nature of medical information concerning judges or employees.