How Many Courts Are There?

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

There are 8 Divisions:

Chancery Division

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

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

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 court
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

Domestic Violence
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

Announcement Pending

Law 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

probate court
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

juv court 2
juv court 3

Municipal Department

First Municipal District

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

Fourth Municipal District

Fourth Municipal District 4

Fourth Municipal District 3