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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE NAMING OF THE TOM VERDUN MEMORIAL EXPUNGEMENT AND SEALING HELP DESK
WHEREAS, Tom served with profound distinction as an Assistant Public Defender in the Office of the Cook County Public Defender, handling hundreds of complex cases, earning profound respect from colleagues, judges, and community members for his meticulous preparation, steady demeanor, and unwavering commitment to fairness and due process; and
WHEREAS, Tom served more than 15 years as a member of the Homicide Task Force, and defended numerous clients on capital cases, establishing himself as a fierce advocate for restorative justice and a champion for the underserved; and
WHEREAS, after retiring from the Cook County Public Defender's Office, Tom committed the last twenty plus years of his life as the Director of Legal Services at the Evanston Community Defender Office ECDO (later renamed James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy) in Evanston; and
WHEREAS, In 2009, ECDO established an Expungement & Sealing Help Desk at the Skokie Courthouse to address an unmet legal need for their clients' families, by granting criminal record relief to increase educational, employment, and housing opportunities for adults, thereby creating more stable homes for children in our community; and
WHEREAS, Tom Verdun passed away suddenly at his home in Evanston, Illinois, at the age of 72, leaving behind a legacy defined by his immense kindness, steadfast advocacy and unwavering commitment to justice; and
WHEREAS, on Tuesday December 16, 2025 Judge Shelly Sutker Dermer - Presiding Judge of the Skokie Circuit Court, presided over the renaming ceremony of the Tom Verdun Memorial Expungement & Sealing Help Desk, at the Skokie Courthouse; and
WHEREAS, Tom used his knowledge and reputation to secure victories that changed over ten-thousand lives in Cook County, and he was widely recognized as an impeccable attorney in the eyes of his peers and judges; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RE...
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