Illinois Circuit Court of Cook County
Encyclopedia
The Circuit Court of Cook County is the largest of the 22 circuits in Illinois
as well as one of the largest unified court systems in the world. It was created by a 1964 amendment to the Illinois Constitution
which reorganized the courts of Illinois. The amendment effectively merged the often confusing and overlapping jurisdictions of Cook County
's 161 courts into one uniform and cohesive court of general jurisdiction.
More than 2.4 million cases are filed every year. To accommodate its vast caseload, the Circuit Court of Cook County is organized into three functional departments: County, Municipal and Juvenile Justice and Child Protection.
Dorothy Brown
is the current Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, and Timothy C. Evans
is system's chief judge.
The First Municipal District encompasses the City of Chicago. Municipal Districts Two through Six encompass the communities in suburban Cook County.
The Municipal Districts hear cases involving:*
The department is divided into two divisions: Juvenile Justice and Child Protection. Each division is headed by a presiding judge.
The Juvenile Justice Division hears cases involving delinquent minors under 17 years of age. The Juvenile Justice Division also orders programs and services to rehabilitate these minors and monitors their progress through probation officers. Cases heard include:
The Child Protection Division hears cases involving child abuse
, child neglect
, child dependency, private guardianship, and termination of parental rights.
The Juvenile Justice and Child Protection Resource Section serves as liaison to the academic, business and religious communities to identify and develop services and resources that will augment programs vital to juvenile justice. The section is supervised by an administrative presiding judge and is located in the Richard J. Daley Center.
The Cook County Juvenile Court was the first juvenile court established in the U.S., in 1899. During its first quarter century, its most important person was Mary Bartelme
, whose official titles were Cook County Public Guardian
and then (after 1913) assistant to the judge. Bartelme devoted much of her life to child welfare and the reform of juvenile laws, and became an associate justice in 1923 and presiding judge in 1927.
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
as well as one of the largest unified court systems in the world. It was created by a 1964 amendment to the Illinois Constitution
Illinois Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Illinois is the governing document of the state of Illinois. There have been four Illinois Constitutions; the fourth and current version was adopted in 1970.-History:...
which reorganized the courts of Illinois. The amendment effectively merged the often confusing and overlapping jurisdictions of Cook County
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
's 161 courts into one uniform and cohesive court of general jurisdiction.
More than 2.4 million cases are filed every year. To accommodate its vast caseload, the Circuit Court of Cook County is organized into three functional departments: County, Municipal and Juvenile Justice and Child Protection.
Dorothy Brown
Dorothy A. Brown (politician)
Dorothy A. Brown is the current Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County since 2000. Re-elected to a third term inNovember 2008, she has won all three elections by large margins...
is the current Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, and Timothy C. Evans
Timothy C. Evans
Timothy C. Evans is the Chief Judge of the Cook County Circuit Court. He is the first black Chief Judge of the Cook County Circuit Court and a graduate of the John Marshall Law School in Chicago. He was first elected to the bench in 1992....
is system's chief judge.
County Department
The County Department is divided into the following six divisions. Each division is headed by a presiding judge. The types of cases heard in each division depend on the nature of the controversy.Chancery Division
- injunctions
- class actions
- mortgage foreclosures
- name changes
- declaratory judgments
- contract matters
- creditors' rights
- liens
- construction of wills and trusts
- trusteeships
- receiverships
- dissolution of partnerships and corporations
- statutory and administrative reviews
- vehicle impoundment
County Division
- adoption
- marriage of minors
- annexation and deannexation of land to a tax body
- elections
- inheritance taxes
- mental health proceedings
- real estate taxes
- municipal organizations
Criminal Division
The Criminal Division hears cases in which the state alleges the commission of a serious criminal act such as:- armed robbery
- assault
- burglary
- criminal sexual assault
- murder
Domestic Relations Division
Domestic Relations Division hears matters concerning:- dissolution of marriage (formerly divorce)
- legal separation
- invalidity of marriage
- civil orders of protection
- child support
- child custody and visitation
- parentage
- enforcement and modification of previously entered judgments in these matters
Law Division
The Law Division hears civil suits for recovery of monetary damages in excess of $30,000 in the city of Chicago, and in excess of $100,000 in the suburban districts, as well as many types of administrative reviews. Cases heard include:- personal injury/wrongful death
- motor vehicle injury
- medical malpractice
- legal malpractice
- product liability
- intentional tort
- construction injuries
- commercial litigation
- fraud
- breach of contract
- breach of warranty
- employment security
- property damage
- premises liability
- miscellaneous remedies
Probate Division
The Probate Division hears matters concerning wills and administration of estates. Cases heard include:- probate and contest of wills and testamentary instruments
- claims against an estate arising in contract, tort or otherwise
- administration of estates of decedents, disabled persons, minors and wards
- contracts to make a will
- construction of wills
- actions arising under the Illinois Power of Attorney Act "
Municipal Department
"The Municipal Department is divided into six geographic 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.
The Municipal Districts hear cases involving:*
- domestic violence
- housing
- eviction proceedings
- small claims
- licenses
- misdemeanor criminal proceedings (including drug treatment court)
- felony preliminary hearings
- ordinance and traffic enforcement
- contract cases decided by alternative dispute resolution process
- civil suits for damages up to $30,000 in the First Municipal District & up to $100,000 in Municipal Districts Two through Six
- mandatory arbitration (less formal proceeding with three-member panel deciding case) in suits with damages of $30,000 or less
- name changes
- marriage court
- The following types of cases are also heard in the municipal district courthouses: felony criminal cases; domestic relations cases; and law division tort cases seeking damages in excess of $100,000. "
Juvenile Justice and Child Protection Department
"The JUVENILE JUSTICE AND CHILD PROTECTION DEPARTMENT is the Circuit Court of Cook County's newest department. Prior to its creation as a full-status department by then Chief Judge Donald P. O'Connell in January 1995, the Juvenile Justice and Child Protection Department was originally known as the Juvenile Justice Division and functioned as a part of the County Department. The establishment of the Juvenile Justice and Child Protection Department marked the first restructuring of the Circuit Court of Cook County in its thirty-year history.The department is divided into two divisions: Juvenile Justice and Child Protection. Each division is headed by a presiding judge.
The Juvenile Justice Division hears cases involving delinquent minors under 17 years of age. The Juvenile Justice Division also orders programs and services to rehabilitate these minors and monitors their progress through probation officers. Cases heard include:
- minors addicted to alcohol or drugs
- minors requiring authoritative intervention (runaways or those beyond the control of a parent, guardian or custodian)
The Child Protection Division hears cases involving child abuse
Child abuse
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
, child neglect
Child neglect
Child neglect is defined as:# "the failure of a person responsible for a child’s care and upbringing to safeguard the child’s emotional and physical health and general well-being"...
, child dependency, private guardianship, and termination of parental rights.
The Juvenile Justice and Child Protection Resource Section serves as liaison to the academic, business and religious communities to identify and develop services and resources that will augment programs vital to juvenile justice. The section is supervised by an administrative presiding judge and is located in the Richard J. Daley Center.
The Cook County Juvenile Court was the first juvenile court established in the U.S., in 1899. During its first quarter century, its most important person was Mary Bartelme
Mary Bartelme
Mary Margaret Bartelme was the first woman appointed Cook County Public Guardian in Illinois, and the first women elected judge in a court of high jurisdiction in that state.-Early years:...
, whose official titles were Cook County Public Guardian
Cook County Public Guardian
The Office of the Cook County Public Guardian is an office in the US set up to act as the guardian of disabled adults, as well as to act as attorneys and guardian ad litem for abused and neglected children in Cook County. The Public Guardian's Office employs around 400 personnel, including...
and then (after 1913) assistant to the judge. Bartelme devoted much of her life to child welfare and the reform of juvenile laws, and became an associate justice in 1923 and presiding judge in 1927.