Students from Ireland to get lesson in mediation at courthouse

Thanks to the Highland Park Rotary Club, a group of students from Ireland will be at the Lake County Courthouse on Wednesday.

Among the activities the kids will be engaging in is a day-long seminar in the art of mediation taught by one of the leading experts in the field.

The group, which is coming here through an exchange program that has been in existence for nearly 15 years, is made up of members of an Irish group known as TABU, Toward A Better Understanding.

The group was formed during the height of the Catholic versus Protestant crisis in Belfast during the 1980s and seeks to promote debate of issues over violence.

The kids will be introduced to mediation of court cases by retired Lake County Circuit Judge Stephen Walter, one of the foremost lecturers on the subject.

Walter, retired Associate Judge Terrence Brady, Circuit Judge Valerie Ceckowski and Associate Judge Daniel Shanes will explain the process of trying to resolve legal matters without trial.

The students also will have the opportunity to meet with other court officials, visit courtrooms to see actual cases being handled and tour the Lake County Jail.

Committee formed:ŒThe Lake County Board has approved the creation of a committee to study proposals for expansion of court facilities.

With a population of about 742,000, the county has outgrown the courthouse in downtown Waukegan and will have to add new courtrooms soon.

Poring over the differing plans will be a group of people most directly impacted by the moves. The committee members include: County Board Chairman Suzi Schmidt, board members Brent Paxton and Audrey Nixon, Chief Judge David Hall and Circuit Judge Fred Foreman, Sheriff Mark Curran, Circuit Clerk Sally Cofelt, State's Attorney Michael Waller and Public Defender Joy Gossman.

Heard in the hallway: Condolences to the family of Circuit Judge Fred Foreman on the death of his mother, Patricia.