The First Municipal Division covers the City of Chicago. It consists of the following units:
All cases alleging traffic offenses occurring within the borders of the City of Chicago are heard in courtrooms at the Richard J. Daley Center. The Office represents only those alleged traffic offenders who face the possibility of going to jail. If a person is held in custody on a traffic offense, their case will be heard at Branch 2, located at 2650 S. California.
Established to hear Chicago cases alleging violence arising in the course of domestic relationships. These courts are where orders of protection are sometimes issued in connection with criminal cases, and where alleged violations of these orders can be tried. Assistant Public Defenders represent clients at each stage of the proceedings, beginning with the setting of bond through the end of the case.
These geographic courts handle all criminal cases charging the commission of a misdemeanor within the City of Chicago. Assistant Public Defenders in these courts represent those accused who cannot afford a private attorney.
In felony cases, those defendants who are not indicted by a grand jury have a right to a preliminary hearing. These hearings can result either in the case being dismissed or, in the event of a finding of probable cause, the case is sent to a felony courtroom, where it is prepared for trial. Preliminary hearings in Chicago cases are heard in branch courts .
Serving: DEERFIELD, DESPLAINES, EVANSTON, GLENCOE, GLENVIEW, GOLF, KENILWORTH, LINCOLNWOOD, MORTON GROVE, NILES, NORTHBROOK, NORTHFIELD, PARK RIDGE, PROSPECT HEIGHTS, SKOKIE, WILMETTE, WINNETKA, COOK COUNTY SHERIFF, COOK COUNTY FOREST PRESERVE, STATE POLICE 15 AND 03.
Serving: ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, BARRINGTON, BARRINGTON HILLS, BARTLETT, BENSENVILLE, BUFFALO GROVE, ELGIN, ELK GROVE VILLAGE, HANOVER PARK, HARWOOD HEIGHTS, HOFFMAN ESTATES, INVERNESS, MOUNT PROSPECT, NORRIDGE, PALATINE,PROSPECT HEIGHTS, ROLLING MEADOWS, ROSELLE, ROSEMONT, SCHAUMBURG, SCHILLER PARK, SOUTH BARRINGTON, STREAMWOOD, WHEELING,COOK COUNTY SHERIFF AND FOREST PRESERVE, STATE POLICE 2, 3 AND 15. Attorneys of the Third Municipal represent poor people accused of crimes ranging in severity from misdemeanors – including alleged violations of local ordianances– to first-degree murder and all other felonies. Geographically, the Third District encompasses any allegations arising in the northwest suburbs.
Serving: BELLWOOD , BERKELEY, BERWYN, BROADVIEW, BROOKFIELD, CICERO, ELMWOODPARK, FOREST PARK, FRANKLIN PARK, HILLSIDE, LA GRANGE PARK, MAYWOOD, MELROSE PARK, NORTHLAKE, NORTH RIVERSIDE, OAK PARK, RIVER FOREST, RIVER GROVE, RIVERSIDE, STONE PARK, WESTCHESTER. Attorneys on the staff of The Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender in the Fourth Municipal District represent indigent people in capital and non-capital felonies, misdemeanors and major traffic cases. Matters heard in Maywood are brought by the State Police and the Forest Preserve Police, as well as by law enforcement agencies from 23 suburban municipalities.
Serving: ALSIP, BEDFORD PARK, BRIDGEVIEW, BURBANK, BURR RIDGE, CHICAGO RIDGE, COUNTRYSIDE ,CRESTWOOD, EVERGREEN PARK, FOREST VIEW, HICKORY HILLS, HINSDALE, HODGKINS, HOMETOWN, INDIAN HEAD PARK, JUSTICE, LAGRANGE, LEMONT, LYONS, MERRIONETTE PARK, McCOOK, OAK LAWN, ORLAND HILLS, ORLAND PARK, PALOS HEIGHTS, PALOS HILLS, PALOS PARK, STICKNEY, SUMMIT, TINLEY PARK, WESTERN SPRINGS, WEST HAVEN, WILLOW SPRINGS, WORTH Attorneys assigned as Assistant Public Defenders in the Fifth Municipal District represent the indigent accused in a wide variety of cases, ranging from, jailable traffic offenses to capital murder, with representation often beginning with bond hearings at a client’s very first court appearance. Fifth District matters include allegations arising both in the southwest suburbs and the City of Chicago.
Serving: BLUE ISLAND, BURNHAM, CALUMET CITY, CALUMET PARK, CHICAGO HEIGHTS, COUNTRY CLUB HILLS, CRETE, DIXMOOR, DOLTON, EAST HAZELCREST, FLOSSMOOR, FORD HEIGHTS, GLENWOOD, HARVEY, HAZELCREST, HOMEWOOD, LANSING, LYNWOOD, MARKHAM, MATTESON, MIDLOTHIAN, OAK FOREST, OLYMPIA FIELDS, PARK FOREST, PHOENIX, POSEN, RICHTON PARK, RIVERDALE, ROBBINS, SAUK VILLAGE, SOUTH-CHICAGO HEIGHTS, SOUTH HOLLAND, STEGER., THORNTON. Attorneys assigned to the Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender’s Sixth Municipal District represent indigent persons accused of major traffic offenses, misdemeanor and felonies, including capital murder. This division also staffs a full time juvenile justice(delinquency) court call.
Click here for more information on the Cook County Municipal Courts from the Clerk of the Circuit Court.
Public Defender, Law Office of
69 W. Washington Suite 1600 Chicago, Illinois 60602