05-10-2009, 11:56 AM
Nearly 100% increase in cases heard. 
hock:
Court branches out on mortgage foreclosure cases
May 9, 2009
NEWS-SUN STAFF REPORT
The faltering economy is having an effect on how foreclosure cases are being handled in Lake County courts.
Due to a nearly 100 percent increase in foreclosures, the 19th Judicial Circuit has announced that it will begin hearing cases in local branch courts.
Beginning in June, uncontested mortgage foreclosure cases will be heard in the Park City Branch Court, 301 S. Greenleaf Ave., on select Tuesdays and Fridays. The use of the Park City space, along with the continued use of courtrooms in the downtown Waukegan courthouse, will effectively double the amount of court time devoted to uncontested foreclosure cases.
Complicated or contested foreclosure cases will continue to be heard in the Chancery Courtroom of the main courthouse.
According to filing records, mortgage foreclosure case filings increased 96.9 percent from 2004 to 2008. In 2008, 3,357 cases were filed seeking to foreclose mortgages in Lake County, compared to 1,704 in 2004. Additionally, the court administrator for the 19th Judicial Circuit found that court calls went from an average of 125 cases per day in the last half of 2006 to an average of 249 cases per day in the last half of 2008.
"For the last year or more, the days when mortgage foreclosure cases were heard in the main courthouse, we had people jammed in the hallways, and as many as four judges at one time pitching in to help with the call," said Chief Judge James Booras. "We clearly needed to respond to the mortgage foreclosure crisis, and we needed to be creative."
hock: Court branches out on mortgage foreclosure cases
May 9, 2009
NEWS-SUN STAFF REPORT
The faltering economy is having an effect on how foreclosure cases are being handled in Lake County courts.
Due to a nearly 100 percent increase in foreclosures, the 19th Judicial Circuit has announced that it will begin hearing cases in local branch courts.
Beginning in June, uncontested mortgage foreclosure cases will be heard in the Park City Branch Court, 301 S. Greenleaf Ave., on select Tuesdays and Fridays. The use of the Park City space, along with the continued use of courtrooms in the downtown Waukegan courthouse, will effectively double the amount of court time devoted to uncontested foreclosure cases.
Complicated or contested foreclosure cases will continue to be heard in the Chancery Courtroom of the main courthouse.
According to filing records, mortgage foreclosure case filings increased 96.9 percent from 2004 to 2008. In 2008, 3,357 cases were filed seeking to foreclose mortgages in Lake County, compared to 1,704 in 2004. Additionally, the court administrator for the 19th Judicial Circuit found that court calls went from an average of 125 cases per day in the last half of 2006 to an average of 249 cases per day in the last half of 2008.
"For the last year or more, the days when mortgage foreclosure cases were heard in the main courthouse, we had people jammed in the hallways, and as many as four judges at one time pitching in to help with the call," said Chief Judge James Booras. "We clearly needed to respond to the mortgage foreclosure crisis, and we needed to be creative."