ST. CHARLES – Kane County’s judiciary is backing off its plans to close its St. Charles branch courtroom one day each week because the county’s new chief judge no longer believes the saved costs will outweigh lost production.

Earlier this year, Kane County’s then-Chief Judge Robert Spence had announced plans to curtail operations at the county’s three branch courtrooms in St. Charles, Elgin and Aurora.

Judges in those branch courts typically would handle lesser legal matters, including traffic tickets, ordinance violations and other misdemeanors.