News Room

Pursuant to action taken Monday by the Executive Committee of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Circuit Judge William H. Hooks has been referred to anger-management counseling while he performs administrative duties until further notice. 

The committee is aware that Judge Hooks is accused of acting in such a manner that created a hostile work environment for another judge. The alleged conduct did not occur inside a courtroom. Judge Hooks expressed contrition to the Executive Committee regarding the matter. The committee referred the matter to the Judicial Inquiry Board. 

Pursuant to action taken Wednesday by the Executive Committee of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Circuit Judge Mauricio Araujo and Associate Judge Richard D. Schwind have been reassigned to administrative duties. The assignments are effective until further notice. 

The Executive Committee’s decision on the reassignments followed a meeting of the Circuit Court of Cook County Executive Committee convened by Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans. 

Today marks the one-year anniversary of Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans’ creation of a Pretrial Division and his entering of General Order 18.8A on bail and pretrial release in the Circuit Court of Cook County.

The Circuit Court has processed and validated nine months of administrative data to present the following facts:

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today appointed Honorable Raul Vega to serve as the Acting Presiding Judge of the court’s Domestic Violence Division. The appointment is effective September 4, 2018.

Judge Vega was elected a circuit judge in 2002. He initially served in the First Municipal District and has served in the Domestic Relations Division since June 2003. He has heard just about every type of domestic relations matter, such as divorces, child-custody disputes and requests for orders of protection.

Please see the statement below from Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans on the settlement agreement in Evans v. County of Cook:

“I am pleased that the court and the county could come together to settle this matter. Overall, the court will receive an additional $11.1 million – a combination of new funding and budget credits.

Pursuant to action taken Wednesday by the Executive Committee of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Associate Judge Joseph Michael Claps has been reassigned to administrative duties. The assignment is effective until further notice. 

The Executive Committee’s decision to reassign Judge Claps followed a meeting of the Circuit Court of Cook County Executive Committee convened by Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans. 

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

“I join the legal community in mourning the passing of our friend and my former law professor, George N. Leighton. He served the public in many ways as a Circuit Judge, an Illinois Appellate Justice and a U.S. District Court Judge.

Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today published the outcomes of bond court throughout the Circuit Court of Cook County since his general order on bail took effect last year. This is the first comprehensive release of performance measures related to bail reform.

The Nominating Committee of the Circuit Court of Cook County today announced its selection of the 34 candidates who will seek appointment to 17 Associate Judge vacancies by a vote of the Circuit Judges.

Statement by Chief Judge Timothy Evans:

"Due to the winter storm warning that predicts 10-14 inches of snowfall in the Chicagoland area between Thursday February 8, 2018, 6 p.m. and Friday, February 9, 2018, 9 p.m., and to ensure that no one is placed in a position of danger in getting to court, the Circuit Court of Cook County will be closed Friday, February 9, 2018.