Richard J. Daley Center

Cook County, Illinois is geographically divided into six court districts. The First Municipal District covers the City of Chicago and its principal courthouse is the Richard J. Daley Center. The Daley Center is located at 50 W. Washington Street, Chicago, Illinois 60602.

The Daley Center is a very busy courthouse. It is definitely one of the busiest courthouses in the Chicago area and probably even one of the busiest the country.

Types of Cases at the Daley Center

There are many types of cases heard at the Daley Center. This includes all traffic tickets and misdemeanor driving-related offenses that occur within the City of Chicago.

This means that, if you receive a traffic ticket or are arrested for Driving Under the Influence or Driving With A Suspended License (excluding felonies) in Chicago, your case will be at the Daley Center.

Petty Offenses

Petty offenses are minor traffic violations that are punishable by a fine only. However, if these tickets are ignored or unpaid – or if you receive too many convictions – your license can be suspended. Examples of petty tickets that are heard at the Daley Center traffic court are stop sign violations, petty speeding, driving without insurance, and no valid driver’s license.

These tickets are heard on the Concourse Level of the Daley Center in rooms CL01, CL03, CL05, CL07 and room 401. The ones on the CL level are tickets that were issued by the Chicago Police Department and prosecuted by the City of Chicago. The tickets in room 401 are usually issued by the Illinois State Police or the Cook County Sheriff. They are prosecuted by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. The court times for these cases are 9:00 am, 10:00 am, 11:00 am, 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm.

Misdemeanor Offenses

Misdemeanors are considered major offenses and some are punishable by up to $2,500 and up to one year in jail. These are criminal cases and are prosecuted by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. Since jail time is a possibility, you are usually required to have an attorney represent you.

Driving On A Suspended or Revoked License is generally a Class A Misdemeanor offense. These cases are usually held in rooms 403 and 407 on the fourth floor of the Daley Center. These cases are heard at 9:00 am, 10:00 am, 11:00 am, 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm each day.

Other misdemeanor cases, such as Driving Under the Influence, Aggravated Speeding and Leaving the Scene of an Accident are held in room 402, 404, 405, 406, and 408 at either 9:00 am or 1:00 pm.

Motions To Vacate Prior Convictions

If you failed to appear in court, sometimes it is possible to re-open an old traffic case and resolve it in a way that is more favorable to you. This can help clear up your driving record or reduce fees due to the court. This is called a Motion to Vacate. When you retain Driver Defense Team, we handle the process with you from start to finish. Petty motions to vacate are heard at the Daley Center in room LL04 at 9:00 am.

Sentencing Violations

Often times, a case is resolved with a sentence of supervision or conditional discharge and a driver is required to complete certain sentencing requirements such as drug & alcohol classes, community service hours, SWAP, or pay money to the court. If a driver fails to complete these on time, the prosecution can file a violation. Violations cases are held in room LL04 at the Daley Center at 1:00 pm.

Location of the Daley Center

The Daley Center is located in the Loop in downtown Chicago at 50 W. Washington, Chicago, IL 60602. The Daley Center building and plaza cover one full city block between Randolph Street to the north, Washington Street to the south, Clark Street to the west and Dearborn Street to the east.

Getting Around the Daley Center

Because of its location in downtown Chicago, the Daley Center is accessible by car, train, bus or on foot.

Parking at the Daley Center

There is no designated parking at the Daley Center. However, there are many nearby parking garages available for an hourly rate. One of the closest and most convenient parking garages is located next door at Block 37 shopping center. You can enter that parking garage from 127 N. Dearborn Street.

Parking at Block 37 is underground. Once you have parked, exit towards the elevators and take the elevator to the CTA level in Block 37. It is marked “CTA” on the elevator button. You will then be in the lower level of the Block Thirty Seven shopping center. Walk straight ahead towards the CTA station. When you pass through the doors and into the station, keep walking straight ahead and through the revolving doors and past the Starbucks. You are now on the concourse level of the Daley Center.

Entering from street level

The Daley Center and Daley Plaza cover one full city block. The first floor of the building is floor to ceiling windows with many revolving doors, making the building easily accessible. If your courtroom is on the concourse level, take the escalators down one level. If your courtroom is on the fourth floor, you will want to pass through the metal detectors and security line on the street level. Then you can proceed to the elevators to the fourth floor. However, there are many sets of elevators, so make sure you find the correct ones.

Taking the CTA to Daley Center

Fortunately, it is quite easy to access the Daley Center via el train. The CTA’s Washington Station is practically in the basement of the Daley Center. The Washington Station is a blue line stop. There is also a nearby red line stop at Randolph-Washington.

From Washington Station, you may cross through the revolving door and into the concourse level of the Daley Center. To access the CL courtrooms, pass the Starbucks and take a left. To access the 400-level courtrooms, continue to the elevators, go through security, and take the elevators to the fourth floor.

Clerk of the Circuit Court’s Office at Daley Center

The Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court at the Daley Center is located on the lower level in room LL01. You can also contact the Daley Center Clerk at (312) 603-5031. This is where you can access your case information and make payments towards your file.

Hiring a Lawyer for the Daley Center

Traffic & DUI lawyers from Driver Defense Team represent clients at the Daley Center every day. The Daley Center has its own unique rules and processes. As experienced attorneys and former prosecutors at the Daley Center, knowing how to make the rules work in your favor or how to use the process to your advantage can make the difference in your case.