Clerk Dorothy Brown appeals order over accessibility of e-filed lawsuits

Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown is appealing a federal judge’s order that she provide public access to new electronically filed lawsuits, court records show.

Brown filed her notice of appeal this week as U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly’s deadline for providing that public access looms.

It was not clear from the paperwork on what grounds Brown had decided to appeal. A spokeswoman did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Courthouse News Service sued Brown over access to the lawsuits in November, complaining that Brown’s office withheld them from the news media for days at a time.

“Brown has not explained why she cannot implement any of the measures other state and federal courts have taken to provide access to e-filed complaints,” Kennelly wrote in his Jan. 8 opinion.

That opinion gave Brown 30 days to implement a system making newly filed lawsuits publicly available.

Lawyers are expected back in Kennelly’s courtroom on the matter Tuesday.