Hon. Timothy C. Evans

Hon. Timothy C. Evans

Timothy C. Evans serves as the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, the largest of the judicial circuits in Illinois and also one of the largest unified court systems in the world. He oversees the circuit's approximately 400 judges and more than 1,900 employees assigned to 14 non-judicial offices as well as the court’s annual budget of approximately $157.1 million. Chief Judge Evans was first elected Chief Judge in September 2001 by unanimous vote of the circuit judges and is currently serving his fifth consecutive term. He has brought sweeping reforms to the court include critical changes to the bail setting process, a new Domestic Violence Courthouse, and the creation of the two court-wide divisions dedicated to hearing only domestic violence matters and elder law matters. He also has expanded the use of problem solving courts dedicated to mental health treatment, veterans support, drug treatment, and persons charged with prostitution. Under his tenure, there has been an unparalleled growth in free legal services for low-income, self-represented litigants, including a free mediation program to help homeowners facing foreclosure and an elder justice center to help persons over the age of 60 navigate the court system. There also has been an unprecedented expansion of the Chief Judge's duties by state and local government to include administration of the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center and the Office of Official Court Reporters. In 2009, he became the first judge from Illinois to receive the prestigious William H. Rehnquist Award for Judicial Excellence from the National Center for State Courts presented annually since 1996 by the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.