News Room

Marriage and civil union ceremonies at Cook County’s downtown Marriage and Civil Union Court (Marriage Court) may be performed via Zoom videoconference, as well as in person, starting next week, according to a court order issued on Friday.

Recent suggestions that the criminal courts have not held trials, or have been otherwise inactive, during the past 13 months of the pandemic are based on misinformation.

The Cook County Circuit Court has held hundreds of bench trials during the pandemic.  Criminal jury trials resumed last month, after numerous precautions and preparations by the Office of the Chief Judge to ensure the safety of both jurors and court personnel.

In order to ensure best practices for the treatment of juveniles confined at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center, Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans has established a blue ribbon committee of experts to examine current JTDC procedures and outcomes, especially as they relate to room confinement.

The Cook County Circuit Court did not let a global pandemic shut down the fair and efficient administration of justice in the Chicago area. Instead, Cook County judges, working with public and private sector attorneys, clerks and other court personnel, have employed technology, innovation, and a spirit of cooperation to meet the coronavirus challenge, resulting in 1,474,274 hours of Zoom court sessions with more than 1.8 million participants between March 17, 2020 and March 11, 2021 in all divisions.

The Cook County Circuit Court will resume jury trials, with multiple precautions taken to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, starting in late March, Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans said on Wednesday.

Cook County Circuit Court Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today praised Gov. J.B. Pritzker for signing into law a criminal justice reform measure that will eliminate cash bail, because it is consistent with the U.S. Constitution’s presumption of innocence before trial.

“It took courage for Gov. Pritzker to sign this legislation, and it was absolutely the right thing to do,” Judge Evans said. “Money should not determine who should be released on pretrial. The law is that there is a presumption of innocence when someone is charged.”

To limit the number of people traveling to and from court due to adverse weather conditions for our area, Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced that the Circuit Court of Cook County will be open but for videoconference and teleconference proceedings only on Tuesday, February 16. Please do not come to court facilities in person.

All court proceedings will be conducted by videoconference or teleconference. No in-person hearings will be held, so litigants should not come to court facilities. Traffic court proceedings also will be entirely held by videoconference or teleconference.

To limit the number of people traveling to and from court due to adverse weather conditions for our area, Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced today that the Circuit Court of Cook County will be open for videoconference and teleconference proceedings only on Tuesday, February 16. Please do not come to court facilities in person.

Cook County Circuit Court Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans expressed approval and support today for a newly-passed criminal justice bill that will eliminate cash bail, because it is consistent with the U.S. Constitution’s presumption of innocence before trial.  

“We have been supporting the end of money bail for a long time,” Judge Evans said. “Money was never a good gauge as to who should be released on pretrial. The law is that there is a presumption of innocence when someone is charged.” 

Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today announced the appointments of three new acting presiding judges to head the Criminal, County and Traffic Divisions.