State of Illinois
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STATE OF ILLINOIS CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY AN INFORMATIONAL GUIDE Honorable Timothy C. Evans Chief Judge A MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF JUDGE The Circuit Court of Cook County stands as one of the largest unified court systems in the world. More than 400 judges working within the court's 16 divisions and districts serve the 5.1 million residents of Cook County. To provide the citizens of Cook County with a general understanding of how their judicial system operates, the court has assembled this booklet, An Informational Guide. I hope you will take a few moments to review its contents. The Guide contains broad descriptions of the circuit court's organization, functions and operations as well as a directory of cir- cuit court facilities and government offices. I am pleased to note additional information about the cir- cuit court can also be found on the court's web site, www.cookcountycourt.org. As Chief Judge, I am immensely proud of our court system. The collective efforts of our judges and employees have made the Circuit Court of Cook County a national model of efficiency, innovation and public service. We are committed to always remaining responsive to the needs of those we serve. Timothy C. Evans Chief Judge TABLE OF TABLE CONTENTS THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY Overview 2 Organizational Chart 3 COUNTY DEPARTMENT 4 MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENT Overview 6 The Six Municipal Districts of Cook County Courthouse Locations 7 Municipal Districts 1-6, Cities, Villages, Towns & Townships Map 8 JUVENILE JUSTICE & CHILD PROTECTION DEPARTMENT 10 NON-JUDICIAL OFFICES 12 THE TRIAL PROCESS The Participants 16 Trial Proceedings 18 CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY DIRECTORY 20 COOK COUNTY DIRECTORY 28 First Printing, May 1999 Revised Edition, July 2012 2 CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY Protection. Protection. Municipal into three functional departments: Circuit Court of Cook County accommodate year. To its is vast caseload, the organized More than 1.2 million cases are filed every Chicago and its 126 surrounding suburbs. residents of Cook County within the City more of than 400 judges serve the 5.1 million Today, Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans and cohesive court of general jurisdiction. County's 161 courts into one fusing and overlapping uniform jurisdictions of and Cook con often the merged effectively amendment reorganized the courts of amendment to our the Illinois Constitution state. which in The the world. systems court unified largest the of one also is It was created by only the largest of the 22 a circuits in Illinois, it 1964 The supervise the functions of the court. administrative authority to centralized has judge chief The judge. chief a coordinate and under consolidated are courts trial all which in circuits. Each circuit is a unified court system The State of Illinois is divided into 22 judicial Circuit Court of Cook County and Juvenile Justice and Child is not County, County, - State of Illinois CHIEF JUDGE Circuit Court of Cook County Office of the Chief Judge Office of the Juvenile Justice & Child Surety Section Chief Judge Protection Resource Section NON-JUDICIAL JUDICIARY OFFICES Social Juvenile Forensic Juvenile Parenting Official Marriage & Adult Jury Mandatory Child Public Interpreter Service Probation & Clinical Court Education Court Family Counseling Probation Administration Arbitration Support Guardian Services Department Court Services Services Clinic Program Reporters Service COUNTY JUVENILE JUSTICE & MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENT CHILD PROTECTION DEPT. DEPARTMENT DOMESTIC DOMESTIC JUVENILE CHILD FIRST SECOND THIRD FOURTH FIFTH SIXTH LAW COUNTY CHANCERY PROBATE CRIMINAL RELATIONS VIOLENCE JUSTICE PROTECTION MUNICIPAL MUNICIPAL MUNICIPAL MUNICIPAL MUNICIPAL MUNICIPAL DIVISION DIVISION DIVISION DIVISION DIVISION DIVISION DIVISION DIVISION DIVISION DISTRICT DISTRICT DISTRICT DISTRICT DISTRICT DISTRICT Presiding Presiding Presiding Presiding Presiding Presiding Presiding Presiding Presiding Presiding Presiding Presiding Presiding Presiding Presiding Judge Judge Judge Judge Judge Judge Judge Judge Judge Judge Judge Judge Judge Judge Judge General Assignment Civil Calls Civil Calls Civil Calls Civil Calls Civil Calls Section Chancery ELDER LAW AND Motion Section MISCELLANEOUS Forcible Entry and Tax & Misc. Section REMEDIES Detainer Section Housing Criminal Criminal Criminal Criminal Criminal Remedies Mortgage DIVISION Section Calls Calls Calls Calls Calls Jury Section Forclosure/ Civil Section Section General Mechanics Presiding Traffic Traffic Traffic Traffic Traffic Traffic Lien Section Individual Commercial Judge Section Calls Calls Calls Calls Calls Felony Preliminary Calendar Individual Hearing Section Section Calendar Misdemeanor Ordinance Ordinance Ordinance Ordinance Ordinance Section Section Violations Violations Violations Violations Violations Voluntary Mediation Program 3 The COUNTY DEPARTMENT is divided into COUNTY DEPARTMENT eight divisions. Each division is headed by a presid- The Domestic Violence Division hears matters ing judge. The types of cases heard in each division concerning: depend on the nature of the controversy. • civil orders of protection • criminal actions involving relationships defined by the Illinois Domestic Violence Act including: The Chancery Division hears matters concerning: • all matters through the preliminary hearing or indictment in which the most serious offense charged is a Class 1, • injunctions • trusteeships 2, or 3 felony • class actions • receiverships • Class 4 felonies • mortgage foreclosures • dissolutions of • misdemeanors • name changes partnerships and • aggravated stalking • declaratory judgments corporations • civil no contact orders • contract matters • statutory and • stalking no contact orders • creditors' rights administrative • liens reviews • construction of wills and • vehicle The Law Division hears civil suits for recovery of trusts impoundment monetary damages in excess of $30,000 in the City of Chicago, and in excess of $100,000 in the suburban The County Division hears matters concerning: districts, as well as many types of administrative reviews. Cases heard include: • adoption • elections • marriage of minors • inheritance taxes • personal injury/ • commercial litigation • annexation and • mental health proceedings wrongful death • fraud deannexation of land • real estate taxes • motor vehicle injury • breach of contract to a tax body • municipal organizations • medical malpractice • breach of warranty • orders of protection filed in • legal malpractice • employment security conjunction with a mental • product liability • property damage health proceeding • intentional tort • premises liability • construction injuries • miscellaneous remedies The Criminal Division hears cases in which the state alleges the commission of a serious criminal act such as: The Probate Division hears matters concerning wills and administration of estates. Cases heard include: • armed robbery • criminal sexual assault • probate and contest of • contracts to make a will • assault • murder • burglary wills and testamentary • construction of wills instruments • actions arising under The Domestic Relations Division hears matters • claims against an estate the Illinois Power of arising in contract, tort Attorney Act concerning: or otherwise • orders of protection filed in • dissolution of marriage • child custody and visitation • administration of estates in conjunction with a probate (formerly divorce) • child support of decedents, disabled proceeding • dissolution of civil union • parentage persons, minors and wards • legal separation • enforcement and • invalidity of marriage or civil modification of Elder Law Miscellaneous Remedies Division COUNTY DEPARTMENT union previously entered • civil orders of protection filed in judgments in these matters conjunction with a domestic 4 relations proceeding 5 The MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENT is divided into six geo- graphic districts. Each district is supervised by a presiding judge. The First Municipal District encompasses the City of Chicago. Municipal Districts Two through Six encompass the communities in suburban Cook County. 2 SKOKIE The First Municipal District hears cases involving: • housing • eviction proceedings • small claims • licenses • misdemeanor criminal proceedings except for those heard in the Domestic Violence Division • felony preliminary hearings except for those heard in 3 ROLLING MEADOWS the Domestic Violence Division • ordinance and traffic enforcement • contract cases decided by alternative dispute resolu- tion process CHICAGO • civil suits for damages up to $30,000 1 • mandatory arbitration (less formal proceeding with 4 MAYWOOD three-member panel deciding case) in suits with damages of $30,000 or less • name changes • marriage and civil union court The Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Municipal Districts hear cases involving:* • orders of protection 5 BRIDGEVIEW • stalking/civil no contact orders • housing • eviction proceedings • small claims • licenses • misdemeanor criminal proceedings (including drug treatment court in the Fourth Municipal District and the Sixth Municipal District only) 6 MARKHAM • felony preliminary hearings • ordinance and traffic enforcement • contract cases decided by alternative dispute resolution process • civil suits for damages up to $100,000 THE SIX MUNICIPAL DISTRICTS OF • mandatory arbitration (less formal proceeding with three-member panel deciding case) in suits with COOK COUNTY damages of $30,000 or less COURTHOUSE LOCATIONS • name changes • marriage and civil union court MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENT