Cook County Chief Judge Unseated After 24 Years Heading Court

The Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill., is set to have its first new chief judge in nearly a quarter-century after the longtime chief, Judge Timothy Evans, lost in a vote cast by circuit judges Wednesday.

Replacing Evans will be Judge Charles Beach II, who defeated Evans 144-109 in a vote that also saw one spoiled ballot. Beach’s term will begin Dec. 1 and last three years.

The defeat marks a significant change in a court system not known for upheaval. A former member of the Chicago City Council, Evans was unanimously elected chief judge in 2001 and, ...