That’s the headline on the BGA promo below.

It certainly did not apply to McHenry County Circuit Court Judge Michael T. Caldwell’s courtroom last Tuesday in the Grafton Township trial. Participants pretty well closed the courthouse. They left about 6 PM.

SOME JUDGES CAUGHT SKIPPING OUT EARLY: FULL-TIME PAY FOR PART-TIME WORK

EXCLUSIVE BGA / FOX CHICAGO NEWS INVESTIGATION AIRS TONIGHT

CHICAGO – The Better Government Association and Fox Chicago News expose a taxpayer ripoff—some Cook County judges routinely close their courtrooms to go home early.

Tune in tonight at 9 p.m. to Fox Chicago News for our joint investigation with Dane Placko and Larry Yellen.

We’ve documented how some judges work part-time but get full-time pay despite a court system clogged with a backlog of cases. And we’ve obtained a confidential government study that suggests at least one elected official harbors his own concerns about empty courtrooms and absent judges in an overburdened system.

This on-going investigation raises troubling questions about the possibilities that citizens are waiting longer than necessary for their cases to be heard and defendants may be sitting in jail longer than necessary because a judge is working half a day.

STARTING SALARY FOR COOK COUNTY JUDGES IS $160,000 PER YEAR.

Tonight you’ll see what happened when we caught one judge going home early to sit in her backyard and soak up some sun. Judge Gloria Chevere told us she leaves early because she’s so efficient she finishes her work and there isn’t anything else for her to do at the courthouse.

Judge Chevere is paid over $173,000 a year.