Clerk Spyropoulos Takes Oath, Pledges to Open Doors to Justice System

ΠΑΡΟΥΣΙΑΣΗ ΟΜΟΓΕΝΩΝ
Panhellenic Post
4 Δεκεμβρίου 2024, 8 ώρες ago
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Mariyana Spyropoulos took the path of office on December 2 as the new Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Photo: Courtesy of Clerk Spyropoulos’ office.

COOK COUNTY, IL – Mariyana Spyropoulos laid out her plans to improve transparency, accountability, and accessibility within the justice system after taking the oath of office on December 2 as the new Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Fr. Andreas G. Georganas, presiding priest of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Chicago, led the opening prayer at the event which was also attended by Consul General of Greece in Chicago Emmanuel Koubarakis.

“The Clerk’s Office is the front door to our justice system,” Clerk Spyropoulos said. “I pledge today to keep that door open to everyone: not just for those who know how to navigate the system, but also the woman seeking protection from her abuser, the man hoping for an expungement to get a second chance, and the newly arrived family navigating an unfamiliar world.”

The Clerk’s Office is a critical element of the justice system, overseeing records for all criminal, civil, juvenile and traffic courtrooms and helping to serve the judiciary, attorneys and the public in managing and accessing the courts.

“The Clerk of the Circuit Court is the vehicle for change that we need – to change the way we view our government, our justice system and our future,” Clerk Spyropoulos said. “We now begin the critical work of showing the public that it can have a justice system that is transparent, accountable and accessible.”

As the daughter of immigrants, Clerk Spyropoulos also pledged to prioritize supporting diverse and underserved populations navigating the justice system.

“If the front door of our justice system is closed to anyone, it is closed to all,” she said.

The Honorable Timothy Evans, Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, performed Clerk Spyropoulos’ ceremonial swearing-in at the Richard J. Daley Center. Clerk Spyropoulos was officially sworn-in during a small gathering early Sunday morning so she could then deputize clerk staff handling paperwork for that day’s court call.

Clerk Spyropoulos won the General Election with 68 percent of the vote, securing more than 1.3 million votes. She won the Democratic primary in March with 65 percent of the vote, securing a majority vote in 90 percent of voting districts across Chicago’s 50 wards, the county’s 29 townships and Evanston.

Clerk Spyropoulos grew up on Chicago’s South Side, attended Chicago Public School and took an early interest in public service. She earned a law degree at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Master of Business Administration from Loyola University Chicago. She is a former Cook County assistant state’s attorney.

Clerk Spyropoulos’ passion for reforming government led her to win election in 2010 as a commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, a $1.7-billion-dollar agency responsible for protecting our water environment through the collection and treatment of waste and stormwater throughout the region. She was re-elected in 2016 and 2022 and served as board president from 2015 to 2019.

While overseeing the district, Clerk Spyropoulos advanced cutting edge green technologies, transparency and fiscal responsibility. She was also a strong supporter of labor and veterans’ initiatives. Clerk Spyropoulos maintained the district’s impressive AAA bond rating and introduced independent inspector general oversight while live-streaming board meetings to the public.

source: thenationalherald.com

[Mariyana Spyropoulos]