In a move designed to save money, Cook County plans to close its five suburban courthouses on weekends.
As it stands now, courthouses in Skokie, Rolling Meadows, Maywood, Bridgeview and Markham are open on Saturdays for bond court. Markahm is also open on Sundays.
But beginning Jan. 7 at Bridgeview and over the course of the next few months at other locations, those courts will begin closing on weekends and criminal suspects will be transported to the courthouse at 26th and California in Chicago for bond hearings, the Sun-Times reported.
"Consolidating weekend bond court at the criminal courthouse will make the criminal justice system more efficient," the office of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said in a statement.
Preckwinkle's office estimates the closures could save the county nearly $2 million next year.
The decision also apparently means that marriages and civil unions won't be available at those courthouses on weekends either.
