There are more than 40,000 practicing attorneys in Cook County, more than the rest of the state combined. This number includes attorneys who specialize in virtually every type of law imaginable, in a variety of settings. Below is a little more information on where and how these attorneys operate and some of the more important practice areas.

Key locations
The Daley Center is Cook County’s main court; it is also the county courthouse for the first district. Most civil and traffic cases take place indoors, along with many other trials. There are 5 other districts in Cook County, each with its own court. Courthouses are located in the following locations: Skokie (2nd Ward), Rolling Meadows (3rd Ward), Maywood (4th Ward), Bridgeview (5th Ward), and Markham (6th Ward). If you live in the suburbs, your case may be heard in the local district court, but many claims are still heard at the Daley Center, most notably those involving more than $ 100,000.

It is best to hire an attorney who is both experienced with your specific legal problem and familiar with the court where your case has been presented. In addition to understanding your case, this type of attorney may meet some of the judges and attorneys that you will deal with during your lawsuit. This attorney will be better equipped to present your case in a way that gives you the best chance of winning.

Payment
Attorneys in Cook County vary widely in the amount and types of fees they charge for their services. Some attorneys work on contingency cases, which means that you do not have to pay attorney fees unless you obtain compensation or a financial settlement for you. The attorney will then earn a percentage of the monetary amount, often 30%. However, certain areas of the law are not allowed to be considered contingent, such as criminal and divorce cases. The attorneys working on these cases will likely charge an advance, which is the fee to officially hire the attorney. You will most likely also pay an hourly rate for the time the attorney spends working on your case, although you can sometimes negotiate paying a flat rate for all legal work up front. The amount of the advance and the hourly rate will depend on the law firm the attorney works for and the type of case you have.

Personal injury
Most lawsuits that arise from accidents, such as car accidents or slip and fall cases, are personal injury lawsuits. These cases are also known as tort cases. Tort cases are assigned to two Divisions in Cook County, the Law Division and the Civil Division. Tort cases over $ 30,000 are assigned to the Law Division and are generally heard at the Daley Center, although smaller cases can be heard in suburban district courts. Smaller cases are assigned to the Civil Division. These smaller cases generally end in arbitration where the parties try to reach an agreement that works for both parties.

Offender
In criminal cases, you will always oppose the government in your case, and if you lose, you may face a jail sentence. Criminal cases are heard in all 6 Cook County District Courts, as well as other Cook County Courts. For example, most felony cases (such as murder or weapons charges) occur in the courthouse located at 26th Street and California. These cases are the most serious and most likely to end up in jail. Lesser criminal charges generally take place in the nearest district court. As with all practice areas, it is very important to retain an attorney who has won cases involving the same crime that you are charged with in Cook County, to try to avoid penalties.

Medical negligence
Almost all Cook County medical malpractice cases are filed at the Daley Center. As a result, most of the Cook County attorneys who specialize in medical malpractice are located in Chicago, but they will work with people from all over Illinois.

Worker’s compensation
All workers ‘compensation claims are heard at the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, which is located at the Thompson Center. The Thompson Center is located in downtown Chicago, near the Daley Center. This is true if you are injured on the job in Cook County, or if you are injured working outside of Cook County, but your business is based here or was hired here. Again, most attorneys in this area practice outside of Chicago due to its proximity to the Thompson Center, but they will work with all clients in need of their services.

Divorce and family law
Divorce cases can be heard in courthouses in Chicago, Skokie, Rolling Meadows, Markham and Maywood. However, the Daley Center is the main divorce court and hears most cases. The location of the divorce proceeding is determined by the person who originally files the case; however, the other party can request that the case be transferred to another court. Divorce and family law attorneys are located throughout Cook County.

Probate
All Cook County estates (wills, trusts and probate matters) are heard at the Daley Center, this includes people who were Cook County residents when they passed away, even if their family members do not live in the area. Many Cook County probate attorneys are located in Chicago, but some will practice outside of the suburbs and travel to the Daley Center when necessary.