Crime & Law

Charles Beach Sworn in as Cook County’s New Chief Judge

Cook County has its first new chief judge in more than two decades after Charles Beach was sworn in to the position Monday morning.

Beach took his oath of office and officially took over as chief judge in one of the nation’s largest unified court systems, months after he defeated eight-time incumbent Tim Evans in a September election held by Cook County judges.

“The weight of this office is profound,” Beach said Monday during his investiture ceremony at the Chicago-Kent College of Law, “I stand here humbled by the trust you’ve placed in me and deeply mindful of the immense responsibility we share — which is to administer justice in one of the most vibrant and diverse judicial districts in the nation.”

Beach previously worked as a criminal defense attorney before being appointed as a judge in 2017. He previously supervised both the Traffic and Pretrial court Divisions.

As chief judge, Beach will now be tasked with handling court policy and the assignments of nearly 400 judges across the Cook County court system. His fellow judges on Monday lauded Beach as a mentor, leader and someone who has earned a reputation for fairness.

“Our job is not merely to process cases,” Beach said, “It is to deliver justice — fairly, efficiently and with respect to every person who comes through our doors.”

Beach takes over for Evans, whom he defeated in September’s election by a vote of by a vote of 144-109.

Evans had served as chief judge since 2001.

During his tenure, Evans is also credited with helping launch a new Domestic Violence Courthouse and the creation of the two court-wide divisions dedicated to hearing only domestic violence and elder law cases.

Under Evans, Cook County courts implemented a new pretrial system following the elimination of cash bail statewide through the Pretrial Fairness Act in 2023. Earlier this year, Evans’ office also took over sole responsibility for managing the county’s electronic monitoring system.

That system has come under fire in recent weeks after Lawrence Reed — who had a lengthy criminal history and was released on electronic monitoring — allegedly set a woman on fire onboard a CTA Blue Line train.

The woman survived but suffered critical injuries. Reed is now facing a terrorism charge in federal court.

That incident prompted Evans last week to order an immediate review of Reed’s case “to ensure procedures were followed and to identify opportunities for improvement.”

Beach did not discuss the electronic monitoring system during his remarks Monday.

On Monday, he outlined three governing principles he plans to rely on in his new leadership role: justice, fairness and kindness to others.

“I am honored by the trust placed in me by my colleagues, the legal community and the people of Cook County,” Beach said. “This role comes with great responsibility. I pledge to lead with integrity, to listen and to act boldly to make our courts more accessible, efficient and just for all. We begin today — let’s get to work.”

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