2 Judges Test Positive For Coronavirus At Bridgeview Courthouse

BRIDGEVIEW, IL — Two judges assigned to the Fifth Municipal District Courthouse in Bridgeview have tested positive for coronavirus, the chief judge’s office announced. These are the first known Cook County judges to have tested positive for the virus.

An adult probation officer at the 2nd Municipal District Courthouse in Skokie has also tested positive for the virus. With Thursday’s announcement, 39 court employees have tested positive for COVID-19. Fifteen residents of Cook County’s Juvenile Temporary Detention Center have also tested positive.

The statement from Chief Judge Timothy Evans’ office did not give any information about the Bridgeview judges’ conditions or when they were last on the bench. An employee at the courthouse said nobody has been asked to self-quarantine and that “rumors are flying” around the building.

The Cook County Circuit Court has been operating on a modified schedule since March 17, when most of Illinois began shutting down due to the pandemic. A news release indicated that Evans had been considering resuming more court hearings in mid-June. He decided to extend the current order to July 6, to allow municipal district courthouses time to ensure that more proceedings could be safely conducted.

A private attorney told Patch that only two courtrooms are open in Bridgeview where proceedings have been limited to bond hearings and emergency orders of protection in domestic cases. No trials are being conducted, and traffic and misdemeanor cases are being continued. The clerk’s office has also been locked to the public. Anyone with business to conduct in the clerk’s office must first answer questions related to health and recent travel.

“For DUIs, defendants are being served with statutory suspensions, which go into effect the on the 46th day after their arrest,” the private attorney said. “We cannot file anything to get them a hearing to throw out the suspension. These defendants have no remedy to stop the suspension because the clerk’s office is not accepting filings.”

The private attorney added that those served with emergency orders of protection entitled to hearing on the 21st day after the order’s issuance are being turned away when they show up on the day of their hearing.

“The sheriff’s deputy at the front door tells them the case is continued, so they’re not able to get a hearing pursuant to the state statute,” the private attorney said.

Social distancing, face coverings and room capacity limits remain in effect. The chief judge is asking judges to review pending cases with attorneys by phone or video conference to determine which cases can be scheduled on or after July 6.