News Room

Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced that due to a ComEd transformer problem, the Criminal Courts Building located at 2600 South California Avenue will temporarily close today. He said crews are working on the problem and that he expects power to be back on line later on today.

Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today announced the Annual Circuit Court of Cook County Polish Heritage Month Courthouse Tour will be held on Friday, October 24, 2003, in the Richard J. Daley Center at 50 West Washington Street in Chicago. Joining the court in sponsoring the tour are the Advocates Society and the Association of Polish-American Attorneys.

Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans and Second Municipal District Presiding Judge Nancy Sidote Salyers announced that Jeffrey Edelson, Ph.D., a national authority on domestic violence, will present the symposium, Reflections on Emerging Practices with Children Exposed to Domestic Violence, on Tuesday, September 23, 2003, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Oakton Community College Campus, 1600 East Golf Road in Des Plaines. The symposium is offered to those whose work and interests encompass the cultural dynamics of domestic violence.

Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today announced the appointment of Judge Shelley Sutker-Dermer as Presiding Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County’s Second Municipal District effective October 1, 2003. Currently a Criminal Division supervising judge in the Second Municipal District courthouse in Skokie, Judge Sutker-Dermer will succeed Presiding Judge Nancy Sidote Salyers who has accepted an appointment as a clinical professor with the University of Illinois School of Social Work’s Children and Family Research Center.

Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today announced the Annual Circuit Court of Cook County National Latino/Hispanic Heritage Month Courthouse Tours will be held on Friday, October 3, 2003, and Monday, October 6, 2003, in the Richard J. Daley Center at 50 West Washington Street in Chicago. Joining the court in sponsoring the tours are the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois and the Puerto Rican Bar Association.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans honored four Chicago public high school students who won individual awards at the 2003 City Wide Mock Trial Competition on June 4, 2003.

The individual award winners, Anisa Figi, a senior at Noble Street Charter High School; Raven Ramclam, a senior at Lane Tech High School; Montriece Wade, a junior at Hirsch Metropolitan High School; and Weronika Wisniewski, a senior at Hubbard High School, each received a paid summer internship in the Office of the Chief Judge.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today announced he has begun a major reorganization of the court’s five suburban municipal districts.

The Cook County Circuit Court has received a $1 million grant from Reclaiming Futures, a national program of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, to improve drug and alcohol treatment for local teenagers in juvenile court.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced the Puerto Rican Heritage Day Courthouse Tour will take place on Thursday, June 19, 2003, in the Richard J. Daley Center at 50 W. Washington Street in Chicago. Co-sponsoring the tour is the Puerto Rican Bar Association.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans and County Division Presiding Judge Michael J. Murphy will present Seminar: Redress through the Indemnity Fund on Tuesday, June 10, 2003, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at The John Marshall Law School, 315 South Plymouth Court in Room 1200. The free seminar will cover the basic provisions of the Property Tax Code that are required to represent homeowners who have inadvertently lost their homes through real estate tax sales.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today announced that the Loyola Children’s Center located in the Fourth Municipal District courthouse in west suburban Maywood will provide free medical screenings on the premises every Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. beginning April 30, 2003.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today announced that 140 associate judges have filed requests for reappointment when their terms expire June 30, 2003, pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 39 (a).

Associate judges seeking retention were required to file requests for reappointment with Chief Judge Evans between January 1, 2003, and March 31, 2003. The Supreme Court later extended the request for reappointment deadline to April 28, 2003, to allow 12 new associate judges to file their requests for reappointment following their oath of office on April 22, 2003.

The Circuit Court of Cook County is saddened today to learn of the death of one of our distinguished colleagues, Circuit Judge Lester D. Foreman.

Judge Foreman was an outstanding, hardworking jurist who achieved a long and honorable career on the bench spanning more than 25 years. He served with distinction and integrity in the most prestigious divisions of the court where he presided over numerous high profile cases of public interest.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans has announced that the Associate Judge Nominating Committee has established receptions for the 24 associate judge candidates to meet the circuit court judges. The dates, times, and locations for the receptions are as follows:

Wednesday, March 12, 2003, 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Chicago Bar Association
Philip H. Corboy Hall and Winston & Strawn Presidents Room
321 South Plymouth Court, Second Floor, Chicago, Illinois

The nine-member Associate Judge Nominating Committee of the Circuit Court of Cook County today announced the names of the 24 candidates whose names will appear on the ballot from which the circuit court judges will select 12 new associate judges. The Committee is comprised of the following judges:

Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced the First Annual Circuit Court of Cook County Women’s History Month Courthouse Tour will take place on Wednesday, March 26, 2003, in the Richard J. Daley Center at 50 W. Washington Street in Chicago. Co-sponsoring the tour is the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans has announced the transfers of 12 judges effective Monday, February 24, 2003.

"These changes in judicial assignments are taking place to strengthen resources in certain districts and divisions of the court," said Chief Judge Evans. "Additional changes concerning judicial assignments will be forthcoming."

The transferred judges and their new assignments are as follows:

Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today announced that the court will again participate in a public awareness campaign involving more than 50 local churches and 16 public health clinics to highlight the proper use of child safety seats. This campaign coincides with National Child Passenger Safety Week, which begins today and continues through February 17.

"Most parents and caregivers understand the importance of child passenger safety," said Chief Judge Evans. "However, much still needs to be done to raise awareness and getting the word out is the key."

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today appointed Circuit Judge E. Kenneth Wright, Jr. as Presiding Judge of the court’s First Municipal District effective February 4, 2003. Judge Wright will succeed First Municipal District Presiding Judge Jacqueline P. Cox who was recently appointed a judge in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced the Annual Circuit Court of Cook County Black History Month Courthouse Tours will take place beginning on Tuesday, February 18, 2003, through Friday, February 21, 2003, and Monday, February 24, 2003, through Friday, February 28, 2003, in the Richard J. Daley Center at 50 W. Washington Street in Chicago. Co-sponsoring the tours are the Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc., the Cook County Bar Association, and the Illinois Judicial Council.

The Circuit Court of Cook County Community Safety Initiative, in conjunction with the Chicago Department on Aging, today premiered an educational video aimed at senior drivers called Keeping the Keys. More than 70 community leaders and senior representatives from the Chicago Department on Aging attended the premier at the Levy Center, 2019 West Lawrence Avenue in Chicago.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today issued an order establishing guidelines under which the Clerk of the Circuit Court may enter into agreements with commercial business entities to provide access to bulk electronic court record data. Effective December 2, 2002, General Administrative Order No. 2002-03 authorizes wider access to electronic court record data while placing some limitations on the types of data the Clerk may make available to businesses for resale to consumers.

Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans and Sixth Municipal District Presiding Judge Ronald C. Riley have announced that the Sixth Municipal District Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Council (IFVCC) will host its third annual domestic violence awareness conference on Wednesday, October 16, 2002, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Tinley Park Convention Center. The theme of the free, one-day conference is "More than a Few Good Men." 

Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced the Annual Circuit Court of Cook County Arab Heritage Month Courthouse Tour will take place on Friday, November 15, 2002, in the Richard J. Daley Center at 50 West Washington Street in Chicago. Co-sponsoring the tour is the Arab-American Bar Association of Illinois, Inc. 

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans and Sixth Municipal District Presiding Judge Ronald C. Riley announced that a Drug Treatment Court graduation ceremony will be held on Wednesday, October 9, 2002, at 2:00 p.m. in the Sixth Municipal District court facility, Jury Assembly Room (second level), located at 16501 S. Kedzie Parkway, Markham, Illinois. Certificates of completion and recovery medallions will be awarded to twelve (12) graduates who have successfully completed all program requirements of the court-based intervention program. 

Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced that the Circuit Court of Cook County's Community Safety Initiative hosted a Child Safety Seat Check today at the Apostolic Church of God, located at 6320 S. Dorchester in Chicago's Woodlawn community. 

Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today announced the first annual Circuit Court of Cook County Polish Heritage Month Courthouse Tour will be held on Tuesday, October 29, 2002, in the Richard J. Daley Center at 50 West Washington Street in Chicago. Joining the court in sponsoring the tour is the Advocates Society, The Association of Polish-American Attorneys. 

The Circuit Court of Cook County today presented the Drive Wise, Stay Alive Mature Driver Program to a group of seniors at Beth Eden Baptist Church, 11121 South Loomis Street in Chicago. The program, which has been held at various locations throughout Cook County, provides seniors with the latest medical information and available community resources to help them continue to be safe drivers. 

In light of a request issued yesterday, September 5, 2002, by Illinois' next Supreme Court Chief Justice, Honorable Mary Ann G. McMorrow, the Circuit Court of Cook County will amend its previously announced plan to remember the thousands of Americans who lost their lives in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. 

The Circuit Court of Cook County today presented the Drive Wise, Stay Alive Mature Driver Program to a group of seniors at Marie Irwin Community Center in Homewood. 

In explaining the purpose of the program, Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans said, "The judges of the Circuit Court want senior citizens to be aware of the connection between medical problems and the ability to drive safely. Programs such as this helps guarantee that senior citizens on the road have the latest information to help them to continue to practice traffic safety."