Lake County Courts Close At Noon Thursday Due To Snowstorm

LAKE COUNTY, IL — The 19th Judicial Circuit Court will be closing all of its courthouses and facilities starting at noon Thursday. Bond hearings will be held remotely Thursday at 1:30 p.m. but no other hearings will be held this afternoon due to severe winter weather in the forecast for the area.

All hearings that are cancelled Thursday afternoon will be rescheduled to a date determined by the assigned judge and notices will be sent to defendants by the circuit clerk, according to a news release from the 19th Judicial Circuit Court.

The courthouses are also closed Friday and Monday for the holidays. Bond court hearings will be held remotely at 9 a.m. Friday, and emergency juvenile detention hearings will also be heard remotely if necessary, court officials said Thursday.

Most other business, court hearings and jury services will resume on Tuesday.

“While we are concerned about access to the court and the timely resolution of individual cases, we must balance that with public safety. Therefore, due to anticipated hazardous conditions and dangerously low temperatures the next few days, the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit is closing to ensure the safety of the court patrons, jurors, and employees,” said 19th Judicial Circuit Court Chief Judge Mark L. Levitt.

The office of the clerk of the circuit court will also be closed. The deadline for filing motions, answers or any other pleading, process, or paper — which is set to expire Thursday — will be extended to Tuesday. The electronic filing of civil matters may continue, according to the news release.