(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Most criminal and civil cases in the Circuit Court of Cook County are being postponed for 30 days starting next week due to the spread of coronavirus, officials announced Friday.
Cases will be postponed from March 17 through April 15, the office of Chief Judge Timothy Evans said in a statement. Anyone summoned for jury duty won't have to report and will receive a new date for service. Grand jury proceedings will continue.
Judges will hear cases of child abuse or neglect, and petitioners can seek orders of protection in cases of domestic violence, the statement said.
Traffic and misdemeanor cases will be postponed, the statement said. Low-risk and medium-risk adults on probation can meet with their officers over video conferencing or a phone call.
No evictions and foreclosures will be filed during the 30-day period, the statement said. Residents can still file civil lawsuits online or in person.
"We are modifying court operations to protect the public, court staff and the judiciary," Evans said. "This is an unprecedented situation, and we may need to make more changes in the days ahead."
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire & Chicago Sun-Times 2020. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
