Chicago to enter Phase 3 on June 3rd: What about your court case?

Chicago land is buzzing with nervous anticipation as we move into Phase 3 of Gov. Prtizker’s Restore Illinois plan. Slated to begin on June 3rd, the “Recovery” phase of will include reduced restrictions that allow for manufacturing, offices, retail, restaurants barbershops and salons to re-open to the public with capacity and other limitations to promote public safety. But what does this mean for the court system? Tiffany M. Hughes, a Chicago-based attorney who specializes in Family & Matrimonial Law, says that it’s likely that many court proceedings will continue to take place via Zoom & Skype, as they have been over the past few months.

“As we move through the phases, (and until we reach the final phase of Illinois being fully restored) it seems more and more likely that many court proceedings will continue to take place via Zoom and Skype,” she says. “This is mainly because gatherings of more than 10 people will not be allowed until Phase 4. For example, if your case is in the Daley Center in Chicago, elevators cannot fit more than one person at a time due to the 6 feet social distancing rules. However, other county court houses such as the DuPage County Court House, the Lake County Court House, and the McHenry County Court House, elevators are not necessary to get to the each of the floors where the court rooms are located.”

Since Illinois’ shelter-in-place order began, the courts have made “huge adjustments” to ensure that cases – including those involving divorce, child custody and domestic violence - could move forward. One major driving force behind keeping the Cook County courts moving: Grace G. Dickler, the Presiding Judge of the Domestic Relations Division of Cook County.

“Judge Grace G. Dickler has been nothing short of amazing with her implementations of electronic court proceedings,” says Hughes. “Judge Dickler has been on the forefront of creating new rules and orders that must be complied with so court cases are not halted, creating protocol for court to be conducted remotely - even after COVID-19 is over.”
Hughes explains that pivoting to remote hearings and remote court dates, overall, has created a new “sense of normalcy” that she doesn’t see changing any time soon. “While in person court proceedings have been halted, a vast majority of court proceedings in the area of domestic relations have been moving forward” via video conferencing and electronic communication.

For more information or schedule a time to speak with Tiffany M. Hughes, please contact Samantha Crafton at SCPR directly: 847.502.2001 / hello@samanthacraftonpr.com.

About The Law Office of Tiffany M. Hughes: Located in Chicago, IL, The Law Office of Tiffany M. Hughes is an elite law firm that concentrates solely on Family and Matrimonial Law matters. Under the leadership of a renowned attorney and founding partner, Tiffany M. Hughes, the firm represents individuals in all aspects of Family law proceedings including divorce, mediation, parentage, child custody, orders of protection, and all matters that arise after the parties are divorced. A modern, tech savvy firm, The Law Office of Tiffany M. Hughes is a company built on passion, experience, personalized service, and innovative thinking.

Ms. Hughes has developed a stellar reputation for her ability to successfully manage High Asset Divorces. This niche typically pertains to clients with a high net worth, multiple streams of income and/or a complicated portfolio of holdings. Her expertise in this area has resulted in her representing numerous public figures, including professional athletes and CEO’s. Ms. Hughes has received many awards and achievements for her work as an Attorney in Family Law, including but not limited to, Top 100 Lawyers in the United States by Lawyers Magazine, Super Lawyer Rising Star, Top 10 Family Law Attorney in Illinois, Top 40 Attorneys under 40 in Family Law, Client Choice award on Avvo, Top Divorce Attorney on Avvo, and 10 best client satisfaction award.
Unlike many other law firms, The Law Office of Tiffany M. Hughes limits the number of cases they take on at any given time to ensure that all clients receive the upmost care, personalized attention and dedicated focus to their specific situation. Operating under the mantra “life is no rehearsal,” Tiffany M. Hughes and her team not only offer clients practical and effective legal representation but also help them move forward into a new, happier chapter of their lives.

The Law Office of Tiffany M. Hughes is located at 22 W. Washington St. Suite 1500 in Chicago, IL.For more information please call (773) 893-0228 or visit www.thugheslaw.com.