The Clerk of the Circuit Court e-Citation Pilot Program is now live, reducing moving traffic violation processing from 7-10 days to 24-48 hours. Find out if your municipality is included here.
The Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee will be holding a public hearing on Thursday, April 9, 2026, beginning at 10:00 a.m., at the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, 222 N. LaSalle Street, 13th Floor, in Chicago. You can find the Public Hearing Notice here:
Individuals who would like a copy of the 2026 calendar may pick one up at the Daley Center, Room 1201. Please note that quantities are limited; they will be distributed on a first come, first-served basis, with limit of one per person.
You can find the digital calendar here.
The Civil Division is responsible for handling civil cases seeking damages less than $30,000. The types of cases heard include contract, property damage, personal injury, eviction, replevin, housing, attachments, and garnishments. The Civil Division is located in the Daley Center Room 602.
Case files may contain the complaint, appearances, court orders, affidavits, certificates, motions, summons, petitions, applications, notices, and half-sheets.
To file a civil lawsuit, you must complete a Complaint form, a Summons form as well as a Civil Division Action Cover Sheet. These forms are available in the Civil Division of the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County (Clerk’s Office) in Room 601 of the Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington St., Chicago, IL, 60602 or at https://services.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org/Forms/.
Also, you will have to serve the defendant either through the Sheriff’s Office or by Certified Mail. You may serve by Certified Mail if your claim does not exceed $10,000, and the defendant is in the state of Illinois (check the box for Certified Mail on the summons). You may refer to “How do I serve the Defendant?” below for information on serving the defendant.
NOTE: Eviction/Joint Action cases cannot be served by Certified Mail.
Yes, you will be required to pay a filing fee. The fee will vary depending on the amount of your claim. You may pick up a schedule of filing fees at the Customer Service Counter in the Civil Division in Room 601 of the Richard J. Daley Center or view the Small Claims fee schedule at https://services.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org/Forms/Forms/pdf_files/CCG0603.pdf.
Yes, you will be required to pay the Clerk’s Office a nominal fee to serve by Certified Mail.
NOTE: You may only choose to serve by Certified Mail if your case is under $10,000, and the defendant is in the state of Illinois. Certified Mail fees are subject to be changed by the U.S. Postal Service.
