News Room

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today announced that he has asked a consortium of minority bar organizations to join the court’s In Court Lawyer Referral Program, a decades-old court-based program that provides low-cost legal representation to qualifying defendants.

Beginning in July 2011, the consortium will alternate on a monthly basis with the Chicago Bar Association in supplying attorneys at Circuit Court of Cook County court locations where the CBA is currently participating in the In Court Referral Program.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced that two (2) branch courtrooms in the First Municipal District (Chicago) that are located in the Chicago Police Department’s Harrison District facility were temporarily closed today after the Chicago Fire Department evacuated the facility because of noxious fumes.

The Harrison District facility is located at 3151 West Harrison Street. Branch 43, which hears misdemeanors and ordinance violations, and Branch 44, which hears felony preliminary hearings, are located in the facility.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today announced that he will reassign four judges whose judicial conduct has been the subject of recent publicized reports and arrange for them to receive mentoring from experienced judges. He also announced he has appointed two new supervising judges to provide improved management and oversight of the Criminal Branch Courts of the First Municipal District (Chicago), where three of the four judges had been serving.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced the Annual Puerto Rican Heritage Day Courthouse Tour of the Richard J. Daley Center at 50 West Washington Street, Chicago, will take place on Wednesday, June 2, 2010. Co-sponsoring the tour is the Puerto Rican Bar Association.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today announced the launch of the Cook County Mortgage Foreclosure Mediation Program, which will provide free housing counseling and legal services to Cook County homeowners and families in foreclosure. The program is aimed at helping homeowners resolve their mortgage cases in the most timely and respectful manner possible.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced the Women’s History Month Courthouse Tour of the Richard J. Daley Center at 50 West Washington Street, Chicago, will take place on Friday, March 26, 2010. Co-sponsoring the tour is the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced the Black History Month Courthouse Tours of the Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street, Chicago, will take place from Monday, February 22, through Friday, February 26, 2010. Co-sponsoring the tours are the Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc., the Cook County Bar Association, and the Illinois Judicial Council.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today released a letter he sent to Cook County Sheriff Thomas Dart denying the Sheriff’s proposal to shorten hours at suburban courthouses during the week and close weekend bond courts in four suburban locations.

Adopting one of the recommendations of the blue ribbon committee he appointed last year to study domestic violence court, Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today announced he will create a new division dedicated exclusively to hearing domestic violence matters. The goal of the division is to help victims of domestic violence and to increase efforts to stop the illegal activities of abusers to ultimately end the cycle of violence in each case.

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced the Arab-American Heritage Month Courthouse Tour of the Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street, Chicago, will take place on Wednesday, November 18, 2009. Co-sponsoring the tour is the Arab-American Bar Association of Illinois, Inc.