News Room

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/

Chicago Daily Law Bulletin provided coverage of Judge Charles S. Beach II's election to Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County.

https://www.lawyerport.com/chicagolawbulletin/charles-s-beach-ii-wins-cook-county-chief-judge-election-20250910

Injustice Watch provided coverage of Judge Beach's election to the Chief Judge position. The new term begins Dec. 1, 2025.

https://www.injusticewatch.org/judges/court-administration/2025/charles-beach-cook-county-chief-judge/

The Hon. Charles S. Beach II was elected today to a first term overseeing the Circuit Court of Cook County. Beach secured the victory by a vote of 144 to 109, with one spoiled ballot. 

The Chicago Crusader covered the recent first graduation class at the Sauk Village Restorative Justice Community Court. Here is their story: Sauk Village Restorative Justice Community Court Celebrates its First Graduation Class

Cook County Chronicle's coverage of the inaugural Sauk Village Restorative Justice Community Court

https://chronicleillinois.com/government/restorative-justice-program-sees-first-suburban-graduates/

CBS 2 Chicago's Lauren Victory covered Monday's historic celebration of the first graduation class of the Sauk Village Restorative Justice Community Court.

https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/graduates-restorative-justice-community-court-chicago-south-suburbs/?intcid=CNM-00-10abd1h

The Sauk Village Restorative Justice Community Court (RJCC), the first of its kind in the Cook County suburbs, will celebrate its first graduating class at noon Monday.

Sauk Village will celebrate 10 graduates at the noon ceremony, to be held at the Sauk Village Community Center, 2700 Kalvelage Dr. The celebration is open to the community and media.

A power outage, which closed the Sixth Municipal District courthouse in Markham on Tuesday morning, has caused cases scheduled to be heard at 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. and where parties were not able to be in court to be rescheduled, said Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans and Sixth Municipal District Presiding Judge Tommy Brewer.

Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans spoke at a SEED Court graduation August 5 at the Criminal Courthouse.

SEED (Supporting Education and Employment Development) is a deferred prosecution program that serves young adults, aged 18-26, charged with gun offenses or with selling or intending to sell illegal drugs. Upon successful completion of the program, defendants are eligible to have their court and arrest records expunged.

The success of the Circuit Court of Cook County’s Restorative Justice Community Courts (RJCC) for young adults is drawing attention from other states – including Illinois’ neighbor to the north.

Representatives from Dane County, including the Hon. Nia Trammell of the Dane County Circuit Court, observed the Avondale Restorative Justice Community Court on Friday to learn how it operates. Dane County, the second most-populous county in Wisconsin, intends to unveil a similar program this fall for young people ages 17-35.

Two adult drug treatment courts operating in the Circuit Court of Cook County’s Criminal Division have been awarded Adult Redeploy Illinois (ARI) funding, totaling more than $1 million for the upcoming state fiscal year. These courts serve high-risk/high-need adults charged with a non-violent drug, theft, or property related felony offenses who are diagnosed with a severe substance use disorder by providing treatment and support to reduce recidivism.

The Circuit Court of Cook County Restorative Justice Community Court program has been recognized with a 2025 Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties (NACo). The award honors innovative, effective county government programs that strengthen services for residents. 

The Restorative Justice Community Court was established by Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans in 2017. Since that time, the courts have assisted more than 600 young adults, ages 18 -26, charged with non-violent felony or misdemeanor crimes, reintegrate into their communities.

During a recent visit to the Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, staff gave the Hon. Michael Hood a tour of the organization’s Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) which, when deployed, provides health care to unhoused veterans by mental health clinicians, social workers and other health providers.

Judge Hood, who presides over the Veterans Treatment Courts in Skokie, said he immediately saw a benefit to having the MMU visit the Skokie Courthouse in the Second Municipal District.

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.