News Room

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.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans issued the following statement in response to inquiries on establishing a gun court in Cook County:

Noting he received a telephone call from the Preckwinkle administration late on Tuesday, Chief Judge Evans said, “At around 4 p.m. yesterday, I first learned that county officials were proposing that I establish a gun court in the Circuit Court of Cook County. Beyond that, I did not receive any substantive information.

“Today, I learned that there will be an advisory committee instead to study gun court models.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans and Juvenile Justice Division Presiding Judge Michael P. Toomin today announced that the juvenile court has partnered with several bar organizations to launch a new program in which male attorneys volunteer to commit to a one year mentoring relationship with non-violent male probationers.

Bar associations participating in the Juvenile Mentoring Initiative include The Chicago Bar Association, the Cook County Bar Association, and the Hispanic Lawyers’ Association of Illinois.  

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 Friday, November 2, 2012. Co-sponsoring the tour is the Arab-American Bar Association of Illinois, Inc.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today announced he is forming a committee of judges to study and make recommendations on the Circuit Court’s New Judges’ Seminar program.

Members of the Committee on New Judges’ Seminar appointed thus far are:

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 Thursday, October 25, 2012. Co-sponsoring the tour is the Advocates Society The Association of Polish-American Attorneys.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today assigned Criminal Division judges to review the torture claims of five convicted individuals based on recommendations made by the Illinois Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission (TIRC).            

At a court proceeding known as a “case assignment” held at the George N. Leighton Criminal Court Building at 2600 South California in courtroom 101, Chief Judge Evans entered orders providing for the following:

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 Wednesday, October 10, 2012. Co-sponsoring the tour are the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans and the Justinian Society of Lawyers.