News Archive

Shardaa Gray, of CBS 2 Chicago, covered the Tails of Redemption program during a recent visit to our Domestic Violence Courthouse at 555 W. Harrison. Here is her story: https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/shelter-dogs-cook-county-jail-inmates-domestic-violence-courthouse-therapy-dogs/

Chicago – The success of Cook County’s Restorative Justice Community Courts (RJCC) and Problem-Solving Courts continues to attract attention from other jurisdictions across the country, including a California county.

On Wednesday, the Circuit Court of Cook County is launching an online ePAY system for clients of the Adult Probation (APD) and Social Service (SSD) Departments. The online payment platform, created in partnership with the Illinois Office of the Treasurer, will make it easier for clients to make payments. It also will allow clients to track payment history and create personalized payment options, such as recurring payments, to assist with managing their finances. 

Beginning at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025, the Circuit Court of Cook County will transition its website to a new domain: www.cookcountycourtil.gov.

The new “.Gov” address reflects the court’s ongoing commitment to transparency, trust, and security. The “.Gov” domains are reserved exclusively for government organizations, offering the public a more official and reliable point of access to court information and services.

The Circuit Court of Cook County is required by state law to fill a vacancy for the office of commissioner of the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners to serve the balance of a term ending November 30, 2027. The court is accepting applications for appointment to the position, which is for one of three commissioners constituting the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners.

WBBM News Radio 780's Nancy Harty covered Wednesday's Drug Treatment Court graduation in Skokie.

https://www.audacy.com/wbbm780/news/local/cook-county-drug-court-grads-get-convictions-wiped

CBS 2 Chicago visited Skokie's Drug Treatment Court graduation ceremony on Wednesday afternoon.

https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/cook-county-circuit-court-drug-treatment-graduates-fresh-start/

Kalea Blanke had struggled with drug addiction since she was 14 years old, often stealing mail to fund her habit.

After getting in trouble with the law, the now 35-year-old Blanke was assigned to the Skokie Drug Treatment Court, led by the Hon. Michele Gemskie. There, she was offered a path to start over.

This summer, the Circuit Court of Cook County’s Domestic Violence Division, along with Loyola University of Chicago, brought together members of the judiciary, legal practitioners, victim advocates, supervised child visitation and safe exchange centers, and Partner Abuse Intervention Programs (PAIP) to help develop a continuum of services aimed at achieving long-term justice for families experiencing domestic violence.

The Chicago Tribune provided coverage of Judge Beach's victory in the 2025 Chief Judge election.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/09/10/ctc-l-evans-out-chief-judge/