Winnebago County Courthouse to partially reopen Monday as fire repairs continue
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — The Winnebago County Courthouse, 400 W. State St., will partially reopen on Monday as remediation efforts continue for a second month after a major fire in the building.
You will now be able to access the offices of the Winnebago County state’s attorney, public defender, coroner and jury commission. The fourth floor courtrooms and the traffic courtroom on the first floor will also open for court proceedings.
A full reopening date has not been determined. Other areas of the courthouse remain under various stages of repair.
“The goal since the fire occurred on Nov. 5 has been to return as quickly as possible but only when safe to do so,” Chief Judge John Lowry said in a news release. “Through the tireless work of remediation and industrial hygienist specialists, and with the approval of the city of Rockford Building Code Officials, the ability to safely return the public to the building and restore access to certain court offices and courtrooms is a positive step forward.”
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The fire started around 10:30 p.m. Nov. 5 in a west exterior stairwell and extended to the basement. It caused major damage to contents and structures in the courthouse, and the value of the damage is estimated at more than $200,000. A homeless man named Larry Lee Wilkins was charged with arson in connection to the fire.
“I’m proud of our quick actions following the fire which allowed us to maintain continuity of operations for the last two months,” County Board Chairman Joseph Chiarelli said in a news release. “I want to thank our Winnebago County staff and elected officials for their commitment to providing these vital services for our residents, and we look forward to welcoming the public back into the courthouse soon.”
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For now, residents are encouraged to check the status of court proceedings prior to their court date by viewing the Winnebago County Courthouse Operations and Scheduling Page at 17thcircuit.illinoiscourts.gov.
The circuit clerk’s offices will continue to operate from a satellite facility on the second floor of the Winnebago County Criminal Justice Center, 650 W. State St., Rockford.
Anyone seeking an emergency order of protection can also go to the Justice Center for in-person assistance, or they can use the court’s online request system here.
For case scheduling questions, call 815-319-4500.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas.
