Civil Courts
More than 160,000 civil and family court cases were filed in Cook County in 2022. The court’s civil divisions, which include evictions, foreclosures, personal injury, debt collection, guardianship, divorce, orders of protection, and more, have the second-highest caseload after traffic court.
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In a letter to a social service agency, the Cook County Public Guardian criticized a lack of state intervention in several instances in which older adults with disabilities were being defrauded.
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Illinois’ system for protecting older adults from financial exploitation leaves them more vulnerable to harm and isolation. Victims often end up as wards of the Cook County Public Guardian, whose office takes control of their finances and care in probate court.
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Steps Illinois lawmakers could take to reform the state’s tax sale laws
The Illinois General Assembly is considering a trio of bills that would amend the state’s tax sale laws to make sure that homeowners are fairly compensated when their properties are seized for delinquent property taxes. Under current tax sale laws, private investors can purchase homeowners’ tax debts from counties, impose interest and fees, and go…
The King of Liens
Real estate investor Greg Bingham made a fortune taking Cook County homes through tax foreclosure. Along the way, he has been dogged by allegations of fraud, according to court records and a previously undisclosed probe by the Treasurer’s office.
Why is the Cook County State’s Attorney prosecuting nonviolent ICE protesters?
A Block Club Chicago investigation found dozens of protesters arrested by state police are still facing criminal charges for minor infractions, such as sitting on a concrete barrier — even after Gov. JB Pritzker vowed to protect their First Amendment rights.
Cook County allows tax foreclosures by municipalities. Poor oversight led to misuse by local officials.
Officials were able to use the county’s revitalization program for personal and political gain, neglected seized properties, and stripped homeowners of equity they had built up in their properties.
Illinois fails to collect wages owed to workers in Cook County
Illinois has strengthened its labor laws and improved efforts to collect stolen wages. But hundreds of cases linger in Cook County court, leaving workers waiting years to be fully compensated, an Injustice Watch investigation found.
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