Masks no longer required at DeKalb County Courthouse come Monday

SYCAMORE - Come Monday, face masks will no longer be required inside the DeKalb County Courthouse in Sycamore, though judges retain the right to require masks for court proceedings if they choose, according to a circuit court order issued Friday.

That’s according to a new general order announced Friday by Judge Bradley Waller, chief judge of the 23rd Judicial Court which serves DeKalb and Kendall counties. Mask requirements and virtual courtroom hearings had become the norm at the courthouse in Sycamore throughout the pandemic, and COVID-19 mitigation measures could change pending virus activity in the future, Waller said in his order.

The Illinois Supreme Court this week also removed the mask requirement for courtrooms across the state effective Feb. 28. The supreme court decision included a stipulation that individual circuit courts throughout Illinois could still formulate their own rules.

“The court may modify the duration of this order dependent upon the status of the coronavirus and may also issue further orders that seek to protect the health, safety and welfare of those who work in and frequent the DeKalb County Courthouse including but not limited to requiring masking and other precautions that are then authorized by local, state or federal authorities,” Waller said in the order.

Masking will no longer be required for those inside the courthouse, however, social distancing when a person is maskless will be implemented, according to Waller’s order. No one will be prohibited from wearing a mask if they so choose, and judges can also decide to require a person to unmask if order to testify or participate in a hearing, according to the order.

The DeKalb County Courthouse had also previously limited those who were allowed in the courthouse to people with scheduled hearings.

Starting Monday, those regulations will be lifted. Hearings can still be conducted remotely at the discretion of each judge per case, according to the general order.

Court proceedings for bond call, orders of protection and expungements will remain remote, however, until further order of the court. Bond call and expungement hearings are held via Zoom. In-person court proceedings for people representing themselves in emergency orders of protection, stalking or no contact cases or plenary orders will be held in person at the discretion of each judge.

Criminal jury trials and civil jury trials will proceed in person. Criminal jury and bench trials will no longer require masks in person, however social distancing of at least six feet will remain in place for those involved, according to the order.

Those needing to pay a fine, file a plea or other documents can go to the courthouse in person to do so starting Monday.

Treatment court has resumed already at the courthouse, as have weddings. Non-essential gatherings at the courthouse will also be permitted, though subject to approval by the DeKalb County Sheriff or Waller, who also have the right to require someone to wear a mask while present for a hearing or other matter if they choose, according to the order.