Lake Co. court administrator named to elite group

Robert Zastany, court administrator for the 19th Judicial Circuit, was inducted into the Warren E. Burger Society of the National Center for State Courts Nov. 19.

The society, named for the former chief justice of the Supreme Court, honors people who have volunteered their time, talent and support to the NCSC in exceptional ways.

Zastany, director of Lake County court administration since 1984, has served on the faculty of the Institute for Court Management and developed a program for Illinois court staff to attend ICM courses at local community colleges.

Zastany also volunteered as a consultant with the NCSC's international division in Kosovo by advising the judiciary in that country.

Sheriff promotions

Sheriff Mark Curran announced the recent promotions of four members of his staff.

Wayne Hunter, previously a deputy chief for administration, was moved up to chief of administration

Sgt. Christopher Thompson, who serves as the office's public information officer, was promoted to lieutenant.

Sgt. Edmund Harris was promoted to lieutenant, and Detective Michael Keller was promoted to sergeant.

Heard in the hallway

Jury sequestering, where members of a jury are kept in a hotel from the end of a trial to the end of their deliberations, is a thing of the past in Lake County. Court administrators say no jurors have been sequestered in almost 10 years.