Monday brought more court closures in the collar counties as officials try to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Effective Tuesday, the Lake County Circuit Court will reschedule and continue most court matters for 28 days from the originally scheduled court date — unless that day falls on a weekend. This includes the main Waukegan courthouse and the branch courts.
Lake County’s judges and judicial employees are encouraged to work remotely, the order from the chief judge says.
Residential property foreclosure sales and eviction orders for residential properties will cease until further order of the court. Grand juries will meet on Wednesday, but anything further will be suspended.
Summoned jurors will not be expected to report, but they will be required to call the court at (847) 249-5879.
All cases in the civil division except for any emergency motions, which will be heard in Courtroom C-202, are continued. Workers’ compensation and bankruptcy hearings are canceled and will be rescheduled.
Those with cases in the criminal division should report to Courtroom T-110. Those cases include speedy trial term cases, statutory summary suspension hearings, forfeiture hearings and probation violation hearings in which an agreement to continue has not been reached; daily bond hearings; those already in custody with a plea agreement reached; emergency and plenary order of protection hearings; mental health involuntary admission, treatment, fitness and quarantine hearings; and warrants and any other emergency motion.
All problem-solving courts are continued until further notice. Emergency matters will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesdays in Courtroom T-711.
All cases in the family division will be continued except for cases involving orders of protection assigned to a family division judge, emergency child support matters and any other emergency situations as defined by statute and local court rule. Those matters will be heard in C-105.
Marriages and civil unions will also not be performed during this time.
The DuPage County Circuit Court will reschedule civil and criminal cases set through April 17, according to a Monday announcement from Chief Judge Daniel P. Guerin.
Cases will be continued for a period between 30-60 days from the originally scheduled court date and all parties will be notified via mail of the date change, according to a news release.
The DuPage County Courthouse will remain open during this time.
Some matters will proceed without delay including bail hearings; felony, misdemeanor and juvenile cases with defendants in custody as well as jury trials with defendants in custody; order of protection cases; summary suspension hearings; juvenile detention and shelter care hearings; mental health hearings and emergency motions.
Traffic courts in Addison, Downers Grove and traffic courtrooms 1001 and 1003 in the DuPage County Courthouse will close through April 17.
All marriages and civil unions will be canceled until April 24 and the Safe Harbor Children’s waiting room will be closed until April 20.
Student tours and training/education seminars were previously canceled through April 17, according to the announcement.