Kane County courts to go remote for two months
The number of court cases where people are required to attend in person will be reduced in Kane County to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The circuit court in Kane is implementing full remote access to all courts, from Nov. 30 to the end of January, Chief Judge Clint Hull announced Thursday.
All jury trials will be postponed until after Feb. 1. Civil bench trials will take place over Zoom.
Criminal bench trials already scheduled for December or January may take place in person or be postponed, at the judge's discretion.
Judges for months have been using Zoom for parts of their court calls. In the criminal courts, judges have been on Zoom for three or four of their 10 sessions each week.
Hull said he wants fewer people entering court buildings, including the branch courts in Aurora, Elgin and St. Charles where traffic cases are heard.
"This is a step we feel we must take to keep everyone as safe as possible," Hull said in a news release. "We have been very successful in keeping the spread of the virus in our courthouses low, but we know that the risks within our community are sadly increasing. This is our way of continuing to help prevent the further spread of the virus."
Anyone with questions about remote court access or other court procedures may call the Kane County Law Library and Self-Help Legal Center at (630) 406-7126 or visit kclawlibrary.org.
They should also make sure the Kane County circuit court clerk's office has their current contact information, including an email address, so they can be notified of any changes in court dates.
Instructions and links to remote court access are available on the clerk's website, cic.co.kane.il.us.