Monday was literally a bright new day for Lake County’s criminal courts as five felony courtrooms and other court facilities opened for business in the county’s new $110 million courthouse tower.
There were a couple of glitches — new electronic docket screens were not working outside the new courtrooms Monday morning — but overall, reviews were positive.
“The courtrooms are incredibly new and professional,” defense attorney Gregory Nikitas said Monday morning after attending a hearing. “I’m eager to see what a trial will be like in the spacious new courtrooms.”
At the end of her Monday morning court call, Lake County Circuit Judge Patricia Fix took a moment to appreciate the new facilities.
“We just managed to get the first court call competed,” she said to courtroom workers after the morning’s last case in her courtroom was called. “Congratulations, everybody. It’s a historical moment.”
Fix noted new larger display screens will make it easier for her, jurors, attorneys and the public to see evidence displayed during hearings and trials.
The most obvious difference in the change of venue was the natural light pouring into the new building from large windows located in the courtrooms and throughout the new tower.
The previous felony courtrooms were windowless and relatively low-light compared to the new courts, which are bathed in natural light and a variety of artificial lighting settings.
Judges can control roll-down screens to block the sun if it should become a problem for proceedings at certain points during the day.
The five felony courts were moved last week from the second story of the existing courthouse to locations on the fifth, sixth and seventh floor of the new tower, leaving attorneys, workers and the public to get used to the new locations with assistance of LED signs and other directional tools.
“We’ve got a lot of adjusting to do,” Nikitas said.
Circuit Court Administrative Executive Director Danny Davis said he felt that the opening of the tower and Monday morning’s court call went smoothly.
“Everything has gone as well as can be expected,” Davis said. “Getting used to everything takes a little time.”
Davis said he expects the electronic docket displays outside of each courtroom to be working by Tuesday, and said paper dockets would be put up if needed until the new screens are running.
Davis said he was pleased with the flow of traffic into the building and the new courtrooms Monday.
The $110 million, 220,000-square-foot tower, officially dedicated earlier this month, is now the tallest building in Waukegan, standing 170 feet feet above street level, according to officials.
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Lake County Circuit Court Chief Judge Jay Ukena said the new building increases and modernizes court operations to serve the county, with features including 12 new courtrooms, including all of the felony courts and courts from other divisions. A new jury assembly room and a ceremonial courtroom that seats 150 are also built and ready for operation.
The newly reconstructed walkway over Washington Street that connects the existing courthouse with the new tower has been dedicated as the Audrey H. Nixon Pedestrian Bridge and is once again open for foot traffic between the existing courthouse and the new tower.
As of Monday morning, the former Washington Street entrance to the courthouse complex on the north side of Washington Street was permanently closed and replaced by the new entrance to the tower on the south side of Washington.
The Main County Building and Courthouse parking lot and entrance at the north end of county complex will also remain open, as will the existing jail visitors entrance.
The Jury Assembly Room has been moved to the new tower and jurors will be instructed to use the new tower entrance.
The State’s Attorney’s and Public Defender’s offices will remain in their current locations and facilities, but each office has been provided a small space in the tower near the felony courts.
Bond court has been temporarily moved to the first floor of the new tower for about a year while its former location in the original courthouse is ronnovated, then it will be moved back to that location, Davis said.
Construction of the new tower began in May 2015.