The Circuit
A collaborative journalism project that explored nearly two decades of Cook County court data to understand how the system operates.
Explore the Data
The Circuit collected and cleaned millions of records from the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County’s mainframe computer system. Explore a detailed breakdown of more than 3 million criminal cases filed in Cook County between 2000 and 2018.
Reporting from the Project
Hundreds more Black Chicagoans are pleading guilty to gun-possession charges. Here’s one possible reason why.
As Chicago police have made more gun arrests, prosecutors are taking nearly all cases through the secretive grand jury process, where indictments are close to a sure thing.
Data highlights leniency of ex-officer Jason Van Dyke’s murder sentence
Anger about Van Dyke’s release and renewed scrutiny of Judge Vincent Gaughan’s sentencing in his case comes as the judge faces a retention election this fall.
Fewer people in Cook County are being charged with crimes. Why are Black people making up a larger share of defendants?
We broke down the data on specific charges and asked experts to explain why racial disparities are increasing in Cook County criminal court.
Meet the Cook County judge attorneys least want to appear before
Judge Diane Gordon Cannon criticized for verbal outbursts, a pro-prosecution bent and jailing of probationers for sometimes-minor infractions.
A veteran Cook County judge has been repeatedly blocked from hearing sex offense cases. Here’s why.
An unprecedented investigation of court data finds systematic effort to keep Judge James Linn from deciding sex charges after a controversial ruling he made years ago.