Chicago Justice Podcast

Chicago Justice Podcast


New Direction for Circuit Court Clerk?

July 01, 2021

A new direction for the Office of the Clerk of the Cook County Circuit Court Clerk would be most welcomed. The Office is an public body few people know exists and rarely pay attention to unless they somehow end up involved in the court system. For 20 years the office has been run in the most incompetent and corrupt way possible by the former Clerk Dorothy Brown; however, last November voters elected a new person to the office, former State Senator Iris Martinez. However fleeting this moment is, it certainly is an opportunity to change the direction of the office and have it at the very least serving the needs of Cook County residents most of the time.

Today we sit down with Alexandra Block, a Partner at Miller Shakman & Beem LLP & Annie McGowan, Senior Research Associate, Civic Federation, to discuss a report they authored for the Chicago Council of Lawyers and the recommendations included for how the Clerk's Office can move in another direction. Their suggests for moving the office in a new direction rely heavily on updating the technology of the Clerk's office. Anyone who has spent any time trying to get information out of the pre-Windows 95 terminals that the Clerk's Office maintains knows this is a vital step for them to take to convince the public they are serious about moving in a new direction.

Also on our show today:

Social media fails - Supt. Brown StyleNewsmax v. Mayor LightfootLetter for City Council hearing on policing

Images from today's show

Videos from today's show