Nearly all of our practice is in the Circuit Court of Cook County. (See Circuit Court of Cook County for complete details.)
There are 3 departments:
County Department
Chancery Division
The Chancery Division hears matters concerning:
- injunctions
- class actions
- mortgage foreclosures
- name changes
- declaratory judgments
- contract matters
- creditors’ rights
- liens
- construction of wills and trusts
- trusteeships
- receiverships
- dissolutions of partnerships and corporations
- statutory and administrative reviews
- vehicle impoundment
County Division
The County Division hears matters concerning:
- adoption
- marriage of minors
- annexation and deannexation of land to a tax body
- elections
- inheritance taxes
- mental health proceedings
- real estate taxes
- municipal organizations
- orders of protection filed in conjunction with a mental health proceeding
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
The Domestic Relations Division hears matters concerning:
- dissolution of marriage (formerly divorce)
- dissolution of civil union
- legal separation
- invalidity of marriage or civil union
- civil orders of protection filed in conjunction with a domestic relations proceeding
- child support
- child custody and visitation
- parentage
- enforcement and modification of previously entered judgments in these matters
Domestic Violence Division
The Domestic Violence Division hears matters concerning:
- civil orders of protection
- criminal actions involving relationships defined by the Illinois Domestic Violence Act including:
- all matters through the preliminary hearing or indictment in which the most serious offense charged is a Class 1, 2, or 3 felony
- Class 4 felonies
- misdemeanors
- aggravated stalking
- civil no contact orders
- stalking no contact orders
The Elder Law and Miscellaneous Remedies Division
Law Division
The Law Division hears civil suits for recovery of monetary damages in excess of $30,000 in Chicago and in excess of $100,000 in the court’s five (5) suburban municipal districts, as well as many types of administrative reviews.
- 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
- orders of protection filed in conjunction with a probate proceeding
Juvenile Justice and Child Protection Department
Municipal Department
The First Municipal District is divided into the following areas according to case types:
- Civil Section
- Felony Preliminary Hearing Section
- Eviction Court (Forcible Entry and Detainer Section)
- Housing Section
- Mandatory Arbitration
- Marriage and Civil Union Court
- Misdemeanor Section
- Traffic Section
- Bond Court