Open Forum On Cameras In Courtroom

On February 1, 2013, at 2:00p.m., the Twenty Second Judicial Circuit of McHenry County will be hosting an open forum meeting to discuss the possibility of entering the Illinois Supreme Court “pilot project” which allows members of the media to bring cameras into the courtrooms.  Joseph Tybor, Press Secretary for the Illinois Supreme Court and Tom Jakeway, Deputy Court Administrator for the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit of Boone and Winnebago Counties will be in attendance to answer questions and address concerns about the project.

Members of the media, McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office, McHenry County Public Defender’s Office, McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, McHenry County Clerk of the Court, McHenry County Bar Association, McHenry County Administration, Court Administration and judges of the Twenty Second Judicial Circuit are invited to attend this meeting.  Interested members of the public are also invited to attend.

The meeting will take place in the McHenry County Jury Assembly area located on the third floor of the McHenry County Government Center located at 2200 N. Seminary Avenue in Woodstock.

On January 24, 2012, Chief Justice Thomas Kilbride issued order MR2634 authorizing extended media coverage in the circuit courts of Illinois on an experimental basis.  Extended media coverage, under certain restrictions pursuant to the Policy for Extended Media Coverage in the Circuit Courts of Illinois, allows members of the media to bring both still and video cameras into the courtrooms to photograph or video record proceedings. For additional information about MR2634 and the policy concerning extended media coverage please go to www.state.il.us/court/SupremeCourt/Announce/2012/012412.pdf

For questions or other information pertaining to the meeting on February 1st, please contact Dan Wallis, Trial Court Administrator at jdwallis@co.mchenry.il.us or (815) 334-4351.