Illinois Supreme
Court
Appellate
Court
COURTS OF ORIGINAL JURISDICTION:
Juvenile
Probate
Circuit
Courts
Small
Claims
Traffic

Purpose
1. Determine the facts
 Evidence: information presented by the parties and
accepted by the court
 Examples?
2. Determine what rules of law apply to the facts
3. Apply rules to determine ruling by Jury or Judge:
VERDICT
Illinois Supreme
Court
Appellate
Court
Juvenile
Probate
Circuit
Courts
Small
Claims
Traffic
22nd Judicial Circuit
What is probate?
•legal process after a person dies.
•Validity of will
•Identifying/inventorying/appraising property
•Paying debts and taxes of estate
•Distribution of property according to will (INTESTATE?)
Wills
 Administration of Estates
 Guardianship of minors and others

The People’s Court – represent self
 Who may sue?

› Anyone dong business in Illinois can sue or be sued
Maximum judgment is $10,000 plus costs
 Attorney?

Hear traffic cases, accept pleas, render
judgments
 Pay ticket: admission of guilt
 Request supervision/traffic school











failing to secure a child in a moving vehicle
driving without a valid license or permit
driving an uninsured vehicle
passing a school bus while loading children
speeding in excess of 30 mph but not over 40
mph over limit
speeding in school zone when children are
present
speeding in construction zone when workers are
present
violation of cruising zones
using an alley as a through street in violation of
signs
failing to yield to an emergency vehicle

Parens Patriae – in the place of the parent
› Child has committed a crime
› Conduct is out of control
› Abandoned/abused by parent
› Parent unable to provide for them

Purpose? Rehabilitation with guidance
› Hearings closed / Names suppressed
› Records sealed
 Opened by court order

In Illinois, at what age can a child be charged
as an adult?

Review decisions of
lower courts

› Affirm
› Work from transcripts,
› Reverse
appellate briefs, oral
arguments

Do not hear new
evidence
Actions
› Remand

Expensive and Timeconsuming

This is an appellate
court

7 justices

Most vital and complex
cases

If issue is of federal law
then it could head to
USSC
› Arizona Immigration
› Roth v. California

Courts of Original Jurisdiction

General Jurisdiction
› Federal questions
› Diversity of Citizenship
Bankruptcy
 Tax Court
 Court of Federal Claims
 Court of International Trade


Same as state court of appeals

Writ of Certiorari – compels lower court to turn
over records for review