PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Chief Judge Evans announces expanded dates for the Annual Circuit Court of Cook County Black History Month Courthouse Tours

Released On 01/21/2003

Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced the Annual Circuit Court of Cook County Black History Month Courthouse Tours will take place beginning on Tuesday, February 18, 2003, through Friday, February 21, 2003, and Monday, February 24, 2003, through Friday, February 28, 2003, in the Richard J. Daley Center at 50 W. Washington Street in Chicago. Co-sponsoring the tours are the Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc., the Cook County Bar Association, and the Illinois Judicial Council.

"The court has expanded the number of tour dates for its Black History Month celebration from three days last year to nine days this year due to overwhelming response by the public," said Chief Judge Evans.

The tours offer the public a sense of the day-to-day operations of the nation’s largest unified court system. Highlights of the tours include a visit to a courtroom to observe a trial in progress, meeting with a judge of the Circuit Court for an informal presentation, 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 Friday, February 14, 2003. 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 10:00 a.m. from the Daley Center’s west lobby located on the Randolph and Clark Streets side of the building.