Title
Joint resolution increasing the Children’s Waiting Room Fee from $7 to $9, to be collected by the Clerk of the Circuit Court from litigants in civil cases effective, January 1, 2016.
Staff Summary
• Lake County operates a children’s waiting room at the Waukegan Courthouse, known as Kids’ Korner, which is funded by a Children’s Waiting Room Fee collected from litigants in civil cases.
• Public Act 95-0980 set the upper limit of the Children’s Waiting Room Fee at $10.
• The Lake County Board, along with the justice partners, are currently planning a new juvenile courthouse; plans identify program space for a fully functional annex to the current Kids Korner location in Waukegan.
• This will provide a safe and fun waiting area for children who are in the juvenile courthouse to testify in court or whose parents or guardians are conducting court business and reduce disruption to the judicial system.
• The fee has been at its current level of $7 since December 1, 2008.
• An increase of $2 will help offset the cost of Kids’ Korner sites at the current location and the future Juvenile facility.
Body
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Lake County operates a children’s waiting room known as Kids’ Korner to provide parents or guardians a safe location to leave their children while they are in court as a litigant or witness; and
WHEREAS, Kids’ Korner is funded by a Children’s Waiting Room Fee collected from litigants in civil cases; and
WHEREAS, the Children’s Waiting Room Fee has not been increased since December 1, 2008; and
WHEREAS, Public Act 95-0980, effective September 22, 2008, set the upper limit of the Children’s Waiting Room Fee at $10; and
WHEREAS, Plans for the new juvenile courthouse identify program space for a fully functional annex to the Kids Korner located in Waukegan; and
WHEREAS, it is therefore recommended that the Children’s Waiting Room Fee of $7 be increased to $9 effective January 1, 2016, to help offset the cost of Kids’ Korner sites at the current location and the future Juvenile facility.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by this County Board of Lake County, Illinois, that the Children’s Waiting Room Fee charged to litigants in civil cases be increased from $7 to $9, effective January1, 2016.
DATED at Waukegan, Illinois, on November 10, 2015.