PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Chief Judge Evans announces dates for court's Black History Month Courthouse Tours

Released On 01/16/2004

Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced that to accommodate the large number of people who usually attend, the Annual Circuit Court of Cook County Black History Month Courthouse Tours of the Richard J. Daley Center, 50 W. Washington Street, will be held again this year on nine (9) days. Tours will be offered daily beginning on Tuesday, February 17, 2004, through Friday, February 20, 2004, and the following entire week from Monday, February 24, 2004, through Friday, February 28, 2004.

"I thank the court’s tour co-sponsors, the Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc., the Cook County Bar Association, and the Illinois Judicial Council, for their dedication and commitment in helping us to meet public demand for this event," said Chief Judge Evans.

The tours offer the public a sense of the day-to-day operations of one of the nation’s largest unified court systems. Tour highlights include visiting a courtroom to observe a trial in progress, meeting with a judge of the Circuit Court for an informal presentation, and watching the court’s juror orientation video, as well as the opportunity to meet with bar association representatives. Tour participants also receive a copy of the court’s information guide which outlines the structure of the Circuit Court of Cook County, explains the basics of trial proceedings, and includes a directory of court and county services.

The Annual Circuit Court of Cook County Black History Month Courthouse Tours are part of the court’s year-round Community Heritage Month Courthouse Tour series which combines public education activities with national and local observances marking racial and ethnic diversity. Tours are also held during Asian Pacific Heritage Month, National Latino/Hispanic Heritage Month, Italian Heritage Month, Arab Heritage Month, Polish Heritage Month, and on Puerto Rican Heritage Day. The tours have been attended by hundreds of Cook County residents.

Individuals or groups planning on attending the Circuit Court of Cook County Black History Month Courthouse Tours may contact Melanie Wheeler, one of the court’s African American community liaisons, at 312.603.3587, or the Circuit Court of Cook County Public Affairs Office at 312.603.1927 on or before Thursday, February 12, 2004. Tours are limited to persons age ten and older, with a limit of 35 persons to a group. Reservations are recommended. The tours will depart at 10 a.m. from the Daley Center’s west lobby located on the Randolph and Clark Streets side of the building.

For more information about courthouse tours and other programs and services of the Circuit Court of Cook County, visit www.cookcountycourt.org.