Wellness checks and lines as courthouses open, hold more in-person hearings
Although more in-person hearings were held at Cook County courthouses Monday, there was more activity outside some buildings with lines and tents set up for wellness checks for those waiting to go inside.
At the Leighton Criminal Courthouse, sheriff’s deputies questioned judges, lawyers, employees and others seeking to enter about potential COVID-19 symptoms they may have.
Those without symptoms then walked through a sectioned-off tent — designed to ensure social distancing — before they could pass through the front doors with face masks.
There were some lines to get inside the Daley Center, with a wait time that averaged 20 minutes, according to a spokeswoman for Chief Judge Timothy Evans.
“We expected to see some initial confusion, but so far everything went smoothly,” Evans said in a statement. “It was a very smooth transition. People were following the orders.”