Updated: July 15, 2021.
Zoom Court. The divorce courts in McHenry County continue to offer remote appearance for routine matters. This includes family-law cases before Judges Justin Hansen, Jeffrey Hirsch, Mark Facchini and Judge Zalad. See: https://www.mchenrycountyil.gov/county-government/departments-a-i/circuit-clerk/virtual-courtroom-information.
Emergency Motions. Other than petitions for orders of protection, stalking no contact orders, and civil no contact orders, a party presenting an emergency motion must do so in person.
The updates from the McHenry County regarding the impact of Coronavirus on our court system is available here:
- Administrative Order 2020-11
- Reestablishment Plan, McHenry County (May 21, 2020 following Illinois Supreme Court’s May 20, 2020 Order)
- Masks No Longer Required for Fully Vaccinated since June 1, 2021. Administrative Order 2021-07 provides that if you are fully vaccinated against COVID-(two weeks past the final injection), you may enter the Michael J. Sullivan Judicial Center and conduct their business without a face mask or face covering.
- On July 8, 2021, Chief Judge James S. Cowlin, entered an Administrative Order, regarding social distancing in the Michael J. Sullivan Judicial Center. It ended the activation of the 22nd Judicial Circuit’s Pandemic Continuity of Operations Plan and replaced it with various guidelines for how our courts operate now than most of public has been fully vaccinated.
McHenry County Family-Law Division Standing Orders.
Since June 1, 2020, the McHenry County standing orders remain in place except where there is specific language in the Reestablishment Plan and Order entered May 21, 2020. And on July 12, 2021, Standing Orders 2020-01, 03 and 05 were rescinded: Standing Order 2020-01 (Pre-trial Settlement Conferences); Standing Order 2020-03 (Hearings on a Summary Basis); and Amended Standing Order 2020-05 (Remote Proceedings).
The Gitlin Law firm created for our ease of reference pdfs of these standing order that are searchable and remain in effect:
- McHenry County Family Law Division Order 2020-02: Proveups by Affidavit (Prove-ups)
- McHenry County Family Law Division Order 2002-04
- Mediator List – Family Division-Current (Updated Mediator List)
- McHenry County Family Law Division 21-01
Summary.
Remote (Zoom) court appears to be here to stay, at least for the shorter-term and for routine court appearances. In person appearances continue to be allowed. And those being fully vaccinated can choose not to wear a mask / social distance.
Gunnar J. Gitlin
