In Cook County, the main courthouse is the Daley Center. It is the home to most of the civil matters and some traffic cases as well. It is considered the first district courthouse of Cook County.
The Daley Center is at 50 W. Washington St. in Chicago. The following is a list of some of the cases that take place there:
- All Cook County probate matters, including wills of deceased, estates of deceased, estates of disabled adults, estates of minors and wards of the state, guardianship of minors, and guardianship of disabled adults are taken care of at the Daley Center in Room 1202.
- Claims made in excess of $30,000 are heard in Room 801 of the Daley Center. These are considered Law Division cases. The type of cases heard include: personal injury, property damage, breach of contract, commercial litigation, and all tax related matters.
Other types of cases include personal injury/wrongful death, legal malpractice, libel/slander, and miscellaneous remedies, including replevin, condemnation, Unemployment Compensation review, Workers’ Compensation review and administrative review.
The Suburban Districts also accept Law Division filings and, in certain cases, hear Law Division cases in excess of $100,000.00.
The Civil Division, located on the 6th floor of the Daley Center, hears actions when the amount of the claim is less than $30,000. The types of cases heard include: contract, property damage, personal injury, eviction, replevin, county use tax forfeiture, attachment and garnishment actions. Civil Division cases are also heard in each of the Suburban Districts.
The Small Claims Court section of the Civil Division resolves disputes between parties where the amount at issue does not exceed $1,500. The party may act as their own attorney.
- Other matters, referred to as matters in equity, are heard in the Chancery Division of the Daley Center in Room 802. These matters include injunctions, class actions, mortgage foreclosures, names changes, declaratory judgments, partnership and corporate dissolution, mechanic’s liens, statutory and administrative review, trust and trusteeships, and breaches of fiduciary duties.
The Daley Center also handles proceedings dealing with taxes, mental health, adoptions, and elections in the County Division which is located in Room 1202.
- The Daley Center has a Criminal Department located in Room 1006. This department is the Keeper of Records for all Misdemeanor Criminal cases in the First Municipal District. Records of all criminal court proceedings on Misdemeanor case that occur in the city of Chicago can be found here.
The Criminal Department provides access to First District Misdemeanor files for public viewing. It also provides Certified Copies of documents in the files and expungement and sealing services for Criminal Misdemeanor files. Actual criminal cases are not heard at the Daley Center.
- The Daley Center also hears domestic relations cases in Room 802. The Domestic Relations Division hears petitions for dissolution, invalidity of marriage, joint simplified dissolution of marriage, custody and visitation, legal separation and all civil orders of protection and post decree issues.
- District 1 also has a Child Support Division that is located in Room 200 at 28 N. Clark St in Chicago. It maintains permanent records of court ordered child support payments to custodial parents. There is also a Child Protection Division that has original jurisdiction over cases filed under the Juvenile Court Act involving abused, neglected, and dependent minors. Child protection also hears cases involving private guardianship and termination of parental rights. The Juvenile Child Protection Division is located at 2245 West Ogden Avenue in Chicago.
- The Daley Center also has a Traffic Division which is responsible for the maintenance of records and collection of fines for all cases involving City of Chicago moving violations. They do not hear matters related to parking tickets. The Traffic Division for the First Municipal District handles only tickets issued within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago.
If you have any questions about the Daley Center or want our help in finding an experienced attorney for cases there, please call us at (312) 346-5320.