2020 News Archive
Many criminal and civil cases in the Circuit Court of Cook County will be postponed for a 30-day period starting Tuesday (March 17) due to the spread of the coronavirus, Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced today.
Court operations will proceed as scheduled on Monday (March 16). The 30-day period runs from March 17 through April 15.
Pursuant to action taken Wednesday by the Executive Committee of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Circuit Judge Jackie Marie Portman-Brown has been reassigned to administrative duties. The assignment is effective until further notice.
The committee is aware that a security camera at the Leighton Criminal Court Building recorded Judge Portman-Brown placing a child relative into an empty lockup. On February 26, Chief Judge Evans directed Criminal Division Presiding Judge LeRoy K. Martin Jr. to assign Judge Portman-Brown to administrative duties.
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation awarded the Cook County justice system a $2.5 million grant to continue advancing criminal justice reform. Today’s announcement brings the MacArthur Foundation’s total investment in Cook County to $4.4 million.