PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Chief Judge O'Connell announces Third Annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Courthouse Tours & New Release of Circuit Court Informational Guide in Chinese and Korean

Released On 05/01/2001

Cook County Chief Judge Donald P. O'Connell announced today that the Circuit Court of Cook County will host the Third Annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Courthouse Tours on May 23 and May 24, 2001. Chief Judge O'Connell also announced the Circuit Court's popular informational guide has been translated into Chinese and Korean and will be released in conjunction with the tours to commemorate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

The heritage month tour series and the translation of the informational guide are key components of an outreach initiative launched by Chief Judge O'Connell to increase access to the court for all communities by offering insight into the legal system. Hundreds of community members of all ages have participated since the tour series first began during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month three years ago.

"We are pleased to see the community's continued interest and enthusiasm in learning about the trial process and the workings of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Asian Pacific American Heritage Month provides the court with a wonderful opportunity to work with local Asian American bar associations toward our shared goal of increasing minority access to the court. We are also delighted to present to the community the Circuit Court's informational guide in Chinese and Korean versions, " said Chief Judge O'Connell.

The Chinese and Korean languages were selected for the guide's translation as two of the most requested languages for interpreter assistance in the court. The informational guide is also available in Spanish and will soon be available in Arabic, Croatian, Polish, Russian and Serbian. The guides contain an overview of the court, a directory of court resources and background on the trial process.

The Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Courthouse Tours are cosponsored by the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area, the Chinese American Bar Association, the Filipino-American Bar Association, the Indian American Bar Association and the Korean American Bar Association. Additional heritage month tours presented in the tour series include programs celebrating Arab Heritage Month, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Black History Month, Italian Heritage Month and National Latino/Hispanic Heritage Month.

Courthouse tours will take place in the Richard J. Daley Center at 50 West Washington Street and are scheduled for Wednesday, May 23 and Thursday, May 24, 2001. Tours will depart the west lobby of the Daley Center at 10:00 a.m. each day.

Highlights of the tour include a viewing of the court's juror orientation video and a visit to a courtroom to observe a trial in process. Tour participants will also have the opportunity to meet with a judge of the Circuit Court for an informal presentation and interact with Asian American bar representatives. Attendees will receive copies of the Circuit Court's public information guide in Chinese, Korean and English.

Individuals or groups planning on attending one of the Third Annual Circuit Court of Cook County Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Courthouse Tours may contact Vida Gosrisirikul, Asian American Community Liaison for the Office of the Chief Judge, at (312) 603-3402.

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