Kathy Keefe Running for Re-Election for Circuit Court Clerk

From Circuit Court Clerk Kathy Keefe:

Keefe seeks Re-Election to 4th Term as McHenry County Circuit Clerk

Katherine Keefe announces she will be seeking a fourth term as McHenry County Circuit Clerk in 2020.

Kathleen Keefe

Keefe has worked in the office for 32 years, the past eleven as the elected Circuit Clerk. 

Keefe has served as a Republican precinct committeewoman in Dorr Township for the past 18 years. 

The Circuit Clerk’s office is responsible for maintaining a record of all cases filed and heard in the McHenry County court system. The office files approximately 60,000 cases annually.    

Keefe explained her first term goal was to improve public access to court records, to the extent allowable by the Illinois Supreme Court. 

That goal was met, and the office has continued to expand public access gradually over the past 10 years. 

Public court records can be searched on the Circuit Clerk’s website, at www.mchenrycircuitclerk.org, which allows the public to check on their court date, or look up basic information about their case. 

We were able to expand access to attorneys a few years later, allowing attorneys to view the case files online on cases where they are the attorney of record. 

Improved online public access to court records not only increases the public’s access to justice, but it also saves the taxpayer money because it requires less staff to handle information requests.

Under Keefe’s leadership, the office has continued to expand automation efforts, which allowed the Circuit Clerk’s office to gradually reduce staff. 

“When I took office in 2008, we had 75 employees, Keefe noted.

“Using automation, re-organization and cross-training, we have been able to reduce our staff gradually over the years by not filling positions, to our current head count of 55 employees. 

“This has created an annual savings to County taxpayers of approximately $1.1 million annually, when factoring in salary and benefits. 

“We have a great staff, and today we are more nimble and flexible, able to offer better customer service with a smaller number of personnel.” 

Keefe noted that during her current term they consolidated three customer service areas into one main location on the first floor of the Courthouse where the public can get most everything they need, whether civil or criminal, all in one place. 

Keefe stated, “Not only has our customer service consolidation reduced the number of staff we need to open the office each day, it also allows us to offer better customer service to the public, because they are not being sent back and forth between multiple office locations. 

“This was a simple change, but it made a huge difference in the level of customer service we can offer the public, while also saving taxpayer dollars.”

In a partnership between the Circuit Clerk and the 22nd Circuit Court, all paper files were eliminated from the courtrooms in 2019. 

This was a gradual process, and the McHenry County court system is operating more efficiently as a result of reaching this milestone. 

“The technologies we use in our courtrooms allow us to have cases updated quickly and accurately,” Keefe said. 

“We are considered a leader in the state and have hosted a number of other courts over the past few years to come and see how we are using technology to create a more efficient courtroom.”

Goals for the future include the ability for attorneys to be able to do their own case scheduling online, which offers a higher level of customer service and reduces the number of daily phone calls to be answered. 

Keefe is also looking to expand the electronic order process to all our courtrooms, which will be a gradual process that will take time. 

“The technological advancements in the Circuit Clerk’s office have kept us moving forward during my 11 years in office, and we continue to make process improvements, always looking to improve the level of customer service we can offer the public,” she said. 

“The Circuit Clerk’s job is not a glamorous or powerful job, but I have proven during my 11 years in office that I am up to the challenge and more than qualified to lead the office. 

As an elected official, I also understand the importance of using hard-earned tax dollars wisely, and my experience has allowed the office to do more with less.”       

For more information, see www.katherinekeefe.com.

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Let me add one observation that I think speaks to Keefe’s character.

When lots of public officials take office, one of the first things they do is put their names in big type on the windows to their offices.

Kathy Keefe did not do that, nor has she since she has been in office.


Comments

Kathy Keefe Running for Re-Election for Circuit Court Clerk — 7 Comments

  1. I have to say that I once took a class given by Kathy Keefe.

    She is a very intelligent lady.

  2. “is she a rino?”

    Whether she is far right, left, middle, or apolitical makes no difference as to how well she runs the office of circuit clerk.

  3. How about showing up on days her office is opened.

    Or is her office at the Woodstock Starbuck’s?

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