CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Officials with the Cook County courts are disputing Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s contention that the justice system isn’t doing much to keep violent criminals off Chicago’s streets.
Mayor Lightfoot has repeatedly tied the courts system into her complaints about the high level of gun crimes in Chicago. She said it’s been months since the county courts have been open, and she called on the chief judge to reopen the courts.
But a spokeswoman for Chief Judge Timothy Evans said while in-person court proceedings have been limited, the courts have never really been closed. She said hearings, bench trials, guilty pleas, findings of innocence and dismissal of cases have continued throughout the past 15 months.
The spokeswoman said the courts can now hold jury trials in seven courthouses. Other hearings occur throughout the system either in person or via zoom. And the courts expect to reopen further in the coming weeks.
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