In January 2009, the Illinois Supreme Court's Conference of Chief Judges approved and adopted a Pandemic Benchbook for the Circuit Courts.  This document sets forth the policies and procedures for operation of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Court in the event of a pandemic situation.  As stated therein, even under dire circumstances, the goals for the judicial system of the State of Illinois remain unchanged:

 

• The personnel in control of the facilities governing the courts, the court personnel and the offices under the direction of the court must manage the cases and personnel in a manner that protects the health and safety of everyone at the facility; and

 

• The courts must continue to operate, even in a very limited sense, to provide a forum for emergency filings and cases which are generated by the issues associated with the pandemic.