Cook County Small Claims Court: Locations, Fees, and Filing Steps

Cook County's Municipal District System

The Circuit Court of Cook County is the busiest in Illinois and operates multiple Municipal District courthouses. Unlike many other Illinois counties, Cook County's cases are routed to a specific district based on where the defendant lives or where the transaction occurred.

The key locations:

• Richard J. Daley Center (50 W. Washington, Chicago) — downtown Chicago cases
• Rolling Meadows Courthouse — northwest suburban district
• Markham Courthouse — south suburban district
• Bridgeview Courthouse — southwest suburban district
• Maywood Courthouse — west suburban district
• Skokie Courthouse — north suburban district

Filing at the wrong district wastes time. Before you file, confirm which Municipal District covers the defendant's address or the location of the dispute.

Filing Fees

Cook County's filing fees are among the highest in Illinois:

• Claims of $2,500 or less: approximately $90
• Claims of $2,501–$10,000: approximately $268

Defendants pay no appearance fee — that's a statewide statutory rule under 705 ILCS 105/27.1b(k)(4).

Additional costs to budget for: certified mail service (clerk fee plus postage), sheriff service fees if you choose personal delivery, jury demand ($12.50 for six jurors, $25 for twelve), and certified copy fees for any post-judgment enforcement.

Fee Waivers

If the filing fee is a barrier, apply for a fee waiver under Supreme Court Rule 298. You qualify for a full waiver if you receive SSI, TANF, SNAP, or AABD, or if your household income is at or below 125% of federal poverty guidelines. Partial waivers (25–75%) are available for incomes between 125% and 200% of the guidelines.

Submit the Application for Waiver of Court Fees with your complaint. The Cook County Circuit Clerk must accept your filing immediately — they cannot hold it pending a ruling on the waiver.

How to File

For filers who are not exempt under Supreme Court Rule 9(d), Cook County filings go through eFileIL (efile.illinoiscourts.gov). The process:

1. Create an account with an approved Electronic Filing Service Provider
2. Select the Circuit Court of Cook County and the correct Municipal District
3. Choose "Small Claims" as the case category
4. Upload your Small Claims Complaint and any exhibits (contracts, leases, invoices) as redacted PDFs
5. Pay the filing fee or attach your fee waiver application
6. Submit and save your confirmation with the timestamp

The Daley Center has public-access terminals with scanners if you need to digitize paper documents for your eFileIL submission.

For claims of $2,500 or less, use the simplified complaint form under Rule 282. Larger claims up to $10,000 use the standard complaint — attach any written agreements per 735 ILCS 5/2-606.

Service and the Return Date

After filing, the clerk issues a summons with a return date 40 to 61 days out. For Cook County specifically, the return date is typically a status call — not the trial itself. The judge or courtroom clerk will check that both sides appeared, ask if a settlement is possible, and schedule a trial date if the case is contested.

Serve the defendant through clerk certified mail (Rule 284), the Cook County Sheriff's Office, or a private process server. Confirm which Municipal District covers the defendant's address or the location of the dispute before you file.

The Illinois Small Claims Filing Guide covers Cook County's multi-district routing alongside the statewide procedures, with checklists for each stage of the process.

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