Charles Beach Elected Cook County Chief Judge Ending 24-Year Evans Tenure

After 24 years as chief judge of the Cook County Circuit Court, Timothy C. Evans lost his bid for a ninth term to Judge Charles Beach, who won with 144 votes to Evans' 109. Evans, the first Black man to serve as chief judge, was noted for pioneering reforms such as fair bail rates leading to the SAFE-T Act, opening the Cook County Domestic Violence Court, and expanding restorative justice and mental health courts. Beach, a 55-year-old judge since 2017 with a background in criminal defense and public defense, will assume the role on December 1 and plans to focus on collaboration with various court stakeholders. The election was the first contested race for chief judge since 2019, with a third candidate, Nichole Patton, withdrawing and supporting Beach. Evans' tenure was the longest in county history, and he was a prominent Chicago alderman before joining the judiciary. The chief judge oversees nearly 400 judges and a $368 million budget responsible for a wide range of judicial and administrative functions in Illinois' largest judicial circuit.