Elijah Bell, plagued by what he described as traumatizing abuse as a child, began getting into trouble at a young age. First it was stealing, and then drug use.
Bell, 55, is now sober, lives at a south suburban rehabilitation center and works in a garden. He is one of six graduates from the Circuit Court of Cook County’s Problem-Solving Courts who will be honored during a Tuesday afternoon (Oct. 1) ceremony in Markham.
The Circuit Court of Cook County’s Domestic Violence Division has helped nearly 2,000 people during its after-hours pilot program for filing petitions for emergency orders of protection, now entering its third year.
Between September 6, 2022 and August 18, 2024, judges working between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. on weekdays and between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. on weekends have conducted hearings regarding 1,925 petitions for civil emergency orders of protection. Of these, 1,477 have been granted.
The Executive Committee of the Circuit Court of Cook County has considered the circumstances under which the Hon. Peggy Chiampas, an associate judge in the Criminal Division, entered an order restricting a person’s presence in the courthouse for possessing a cellphone in a courtroom.
The court facility at 2452 West Belmont Ave., which was re-opened this week to hear multiple-arrest cases during the Democratic National Convention (DNC), will close this afternoon. The decision was made following a successful and predominantly peaceful convention week.
Cook County Chronicle wrote a story on Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans and Traffic Division Presiding Judge Diann Marsalek participating in the annual backpack donation drive to ensure residents of the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center have the supplies they need to start a new school year.
Judges give backpacks to Detention Center residents - Chronicle Media (chronicleillinois.com)
Residents of the Cook County Circuit Court’s Juvenile Temporary Detention Center will get a fresh start to the upcoming school year, having received a new backpack filled with all of the supplies needed for successful year.
The Cook County Chronicle, today, features the Aug. 5 graduation of seven participants of the Bridgeview Problem-Solving Courts. The seven graduates completed programming from drug, mental health and veterans’ treatment courts.
Problem-Solving Court helps individuals find way forward - Chronicle Media (chronicleillinois.com)
Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans led off tonight's episode of Chicago Tonight, discussing the preparations the Court and our partners have made to ensure everyone's rights are protected during a safe Democratic National Convention. See it here:
Domestic Violence Division Presiding Judge Judith Rice has been honored with the prestigious Judith S. Kaye Award for Judicial Excellence. The American Bar Association’s Commission on Domestic & Sexual Violence presents this award to judicial officers who show exemplary leadership developing courtroom responses to domestic and sexual violence issues.
The Cook County Circuit Court’s Fifth Municipal District in Bridgeview is hosting a joint Problem-Solving Court ceremony on Monday, August 5 for seven graduates from the drug, mental health and veterans treatment courts.
At the request of the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and the City of Chicago, the Circuit Court of Cook County has made extensive preparations to handle an increased number of court proceedings in the event of multiple arrests during the period surrounding the Democratic National Convention (DNC), which is being held in Chicago August 19-22, said Chief Judge Timothy C.
CBS 2 Chicago covered the grand opening of the new Restorative Justice Community Court in Sauk Village.
Restorative justice court program expands to Chicago's south suburbs - CBS Chicago (cbsnews.com)
Cook County Chief Circuit Judge Timothy Evans pledged Monday to more than double the county's so-called second-chance courts this year, praising their results so far in cutting recidivism by diverting young-offender prosecutions in favor of personal rehabilitation.
The Chicago Tribune covered the opening of the first restorative justice community court in the south suburbs at Sauk Village.
Cook County opens restorative justice court in Sauk Village (chicagotribune.com)
ABC covered the recent opening of Sauk Village's Restorative Justice Community Court, the first restorative justice court in the suburbs.
The Circuit Court of Cook County, following up on the recent successes of the Restorative Justice Community Courts in North Lawndale, Avondale and Englewood, is poised to open its newest location in south suburban Sauk Village.
Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans will host a grand opening celebration of the new court at 11 a.m. Monday, July 15 at the Sauk Village Community Center, 2700 Kalvelage Dr. in Sauk Village. The celebration is open to the community and media.
Block Club Chicago covered the most recent Englewood Restorative Justice Community Court graduation ceremony, where 64 program graduates were recognized.
It's graduation day in Englewood for a group of people getting a second chance because they were convicted of felonies, but their records are about to be cleared. Englewood's Restorative Justice Community Court graduates 64 participants.
Graduation day for Restorative Justice Community Court Program - CBS Chicago (cbsnews.com)
Following a tough couple of years which included the loss of his infant son and getting in trouble with the law, 24-year-old Byron Upton sees his graduation from the Englewood Restorative Justice Community Court as a “reset” for his life.
“I had to go through a lot of distancing from the negativity in my life,” said Upton, who will be one of 64 graduates honored at a Wednesday ceremony for the South Side program. “Before the court began, I was going through something. I took the reset God gave me.”
Below is a statement from Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans regarding the death of Commissioner Deer:
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. The courts, which hear felony cases at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse, help people with low-level criminal offenses overcome drug problems and avoid future problems with the law.
Thousands of people who come into the Circuit Court without a lawyer every month now have a new central place within the Daley Center to get guidance on navigating the system. The Circuit Court of Cook County’s Resource Center for People Without Lawyers has a new home on the concourse level of the
Cook County acting presiding judges were elevated on Wednesday to the position of presiding judge in their respective divisions, Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced.
The presiding judges, promoted by Judge Evans, are the Hon. Donna L. Cooper of the Juvenile Division, the Hon. Sophia H. Hall of the Chancery Division, the Hon. Mary C. Marubio of the Pretrial Division, the Hon. Judith C. Rice of the Domestic Violence Division and the Hon. Regina Scannicchio of the Domestic Relations Division.
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May is National Treatment Court Month, recognizing courts around the country which address the root causes of criminal behavior committed by those suffering from mental illness and drug abuse, as well as military veterans who may be having difficulties associated with readjusting to civilian life.
The Circuit Court of Cook County’s recently redesigned website now features weekly statistics on court attendance and the rates at which defendants avoid new charges while on pretrial release.
The Circuit Court of Cook County has launched a renovated, easier-to-navigate website at cookcountycourt.org.
The redesigned website replaces a previous version that was more than 12 years old and regularly viewed by more than 1 million users annually.
Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans and the court’s Nominating Committee today announced the names of the six candidates who will be on the ballot for circuit judges to vote to fill three associate judge vacancies.
“I am pleased to submit the names of these candidates for consideration to join the bench of the Circuit Court of Cook County,” Chief Judge Evans said. “I am grateful for the hard work of the Nominating Committee in putting together this list of capable and talented candidates. The candidates received positive ratings from all bar associations.
