News Archive

Chicago Lawyer magazine cites work on criminal justice reform in 2017

Chicago Lawyer magazine has named Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans its Person of the Year for 2017.

“We took several steps forward this year to protect constitutional rights and reduce the jail population because justice required us to do so. I am honored to receive this recognition of the progress we have made in our court system in 2017,” Chief Judge Evans said.

The magazine cited three initiatives that began this year. In the Circuit Court of Cook County, Chief Judge Evans:

Please see the below statement from Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans:

"The manner in which the President and County Board imposed 156 layoffs on the operations under the authority of the Chief Judge is unprecedented.

Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced today that he is accepting applications as part of a nationwide search for the next chief probation officer of the Adult Probation Department.

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation awarded a $1.85 million grant today to the Cook County justice system to safely reduce the jail population, divert certain nonviolent offenders from the court system and track efforts to remind defendants about future court dates.

Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today appointed Charles P. Golbert, a longtime attorney in the Office of the Cook County Public Guardian, to serve as acting public guardian.

Golbert has worked in the office for 26 years, most recently as deputy public guardian. He succeeds Robert F. Harris, who Chief Judge Evans appointed as public guardian in 2004 and will be sworn in Thursday as a circuit judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County. The Illinois Supreme Court appointed Harris to a vacancy on the court earlier this month.

Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced today the judges who he has assigned to the new Pretrial Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County.

The appointments are effective Monday, and the new division accompanies an order Chief Judge Evans signed in July to change the cash-bail process in the Circuit Court of Cook County. The order states that if a bond court judge determines a defendant qualifies for release from jail before trial upon posting cash bail, the bail must be set in an amount that the defendant can afford.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today appointed Honorable Jill C. Marisie to serve as the Acting Presiding Judge of the court’s Third Municipal District. The appointment is effective immediately.

The Circuit Court of Cook County is set to launch a newapproach to address nonviolent crime with the opening of its first-everRestorative Justice Community Court in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood,Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced today. 

“Asa court system, we must work to end the cycle of recidivism. Our new CommunityCourt empowers victims and residents to work as our partners to help restorenonviolent individuals back to society, provide restitution to victims, andimprove our overall quality of life,” Chief Judge Evans said.  

Defendants who pose no danger to the public will be released from custody pending trial because any future bail amounts will be set at an amount they can afford, under an order Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans entered today that will take effect on September 18, 2017, in the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Three suburban court programs will get a boost to existing efforts that help drug users, thanks to a new federal grant.