Judge Patricia Spratt spends most of her week in a traditional courtroom in Maywood. But every Thursday, she turns her attention to healing and reconciliation in North Lawndale, where she leads the neighborhood’s Restorative Justice Community Court. Her role is to transform young lives through restorative justice. The goal is to heal victims, the community, and the offenders themselves.
WTTW Documentaries highlights her work in this installment of "Firsthand Peacekeepers."
The Hon. Patricia Spratt, who presides over the North Lawndale Restorative Justice Community Court, joined WTTW's Chicago Tonight to discuss the importance of the RJCC in the community. Full episode linked below.
Chicago Tonight | Feb. 17, 2025 - Full Show | Season 2025 | PBS
CBS attended some of the Valentine's Day weddings conducted by Cook County judges on Friday.
Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced a pilot project that will combine cases involving mental health treatment and guardianship before a single judge, thus providing more clarity and support for respondents and their families.
The New York Times included the Circuit Court of Cook County and the weddings our judges performed on Valentine's Day, in their Valentine's Day coverage.
‘Joyful Chaos’: Couples Flock to Courthouses to Wed on Valentine’s Day - The New York Times
For the first time since 2020, and 2014 before that, Valentine’s Day lands on a Friday, which also happens to be the most popular day for courthouse weddings.
Judge Diann Marsalek, who presides over marriage court, is predicting a higher-than-usual profusion of lace and flowers next Friday in addition to the typical pink and red decorations.
Marsalek said Friday is typically the busiest wedding day because couples can celebrate over the weekend. On the court’s busiest days, judges can marry between 200 and 250 couples.
Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans has appointed the Hon. Andrea M. Buford to serve as Acting Presiding Judge of the Child Protection Division.
Judge Buford replaces Presiding Judge Robert Balanoff, who retired on Thursday, January 30th.
“Judge Buford has a great deal of experience in this highly sensitive and vital division of the Cook County Circuit Court,” said Judge Evans. “She is known for her compassion, knowledge and hard work, and I am sure she will do an excellent job in her new position.”
As reported in the Daily Herald: Cook County juvenile detention center given high marks
Two state agencies with authority over Illinois juvenile detention center operations have given the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (JTDC) exemplary reviews in separate reports issued in recent weeks.
