PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Chief Judge Evans agrees to request judge from outside of Cook County for Vanecko case

Released On 12/18/2012

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today agreed to a request by Judge Michael P. Toomin and submitted a letter to the Illinois Supreme Court requesting that a judge from outside of Cook County be assigned to preside over People v. Vanecko, 12 CR 22450.

Earlier today in court following Judge Arthur F. Hill Jr.’s voluntary recusal from the case, Judge Toomin granted a motion by the special prosecutor to recommend to have the case transferred to a judge outside of the Cook circuit.  Judge Toomin then referred the matter to Chief Judge Evans, who wrote to Michael Tardy, director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, which is the administrative arm of the Illinois Supreme Court, with copies of the request directly submitted to the Illinois Supreme Court justices.  

Only the Illinois Supreme Court can assign a judge from one circuit to preside over a case in another of the state’s 24 circuit courts; the circuit’s chief judge has the administrative authority to make such a request of the Supreme Court.

In his letter to Tardy, Chief Judge Evans cited “to permit the appearance of impropriety acknowledged by Judge Toomin to persist would undermine public confidence in the administration of justice” as the reason for submitting the request.