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Law360 (March 16, 2020, 6:42 PM EDT) -- State and federal courts in Illinois have tightened restrictions in response to growing concerns about the spread of the COVID-19 virus, as 12 new cases were announced in the state on Monday, bringing the known total to 105.
In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Chief District Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer issued an amended order Monday extending deadlines in all civil cases by 21 days and striking all civil hearings, trials and settlement conferences between March 17 and April 3, to be rescheduled for April 6 or later.
All criminal proceedings that can't be continued will be conducted in the district's Eastern Division by emergency district judges as designated by Judge Pallmeyer, she said.
"We have closely monitored the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local public health leaders. With the closing of all schools in the State of Illinois and the updated restrictions imposed on public gatherings, we determined that it would be in the best interest of all parties to implement additional directives," Judge Pallmeyer said in a statement.
Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans also announced Friday that many cases in the Circuit Court of Cook County would be postponed for 30 days, beginning Tuesday. No civil or criminal jury trials will begin, and civil matters not deemed an emergency must be postponed, he said.
Most criminal hearings will also be postponed, but bail hearings, arraignments and preliminary hearings will continue, and defendants can still enter into plea agreements to conclude their cases, he said.
"We are modifying court operations to protect the public, court staff and the judiciary," Judge Evans said in his statement. "We will continue to identify the appropriate balance between allowing access to justice and minimizing the threat to public health. I am also asking everybody in the justice system to exercise patience and flexibility as we move forward in these unpredictable times. This is an unprecedented situation, and we may need to make more changes in the days ahead."
The announcements come as other courts have taken similar precautions, and as President Donald Trump's administration revised its guidelines for gatherings amid the pandemic, dropping the suggested number from 50 people to 10.
--Additional reporting by Sarah Jarvis. Editing by Stephen Berg.
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