The Circuit Court of Cook County reopened on Monday, July 6 after being largely closed to the public for over three months. In anticipation of some of the unique challenges self-represented litigants will face in this new environment, the CBF/Circuit Court Pro Se Advisory Committee made several recommendations to the Court to ensure that all court patrons will continue to have meaningful access to both the court system and to the self-help and other legal resources that are critically important to navigating it.
In summary, the Pro Se Advisory Committee encouraged the Court to implement a series of changes that would improve communications between the public and all court stakeholders about how to access the system, use technology to connect court patrons with vitally important legal help and other self-help resources, and minimize the number of people in the courthouse by doing as much as practicable remotely. The Pro Se Advisory Committee also urged the court to allow for greater flexibility and understanding during this time for all court stakeholders.
Read the full list of recommendations here.