Becoming A Certified Arbitrator

For Arbitrators or Attorneys Wanting to Become Arbitrators

Mandatory arbitration hearings in Cook County are conducted by licensed Illinois attorneys who meet the basic qualifications found in Illinois Supreme Court Rule 87(b) as well as the further requirements of local Circuit Court Rule 18.4(a). They must also complete the court's "New Arbitrator Training" seminar and be certified by the presiding and supervising judges of the arbitration program onto the court's master roll of arbitrators.

Certification Process
Information for Arbitrators
Resources for Arbitrators

How do I get scheduled for my service as an arbitrator?

Once you complete the certification process and are placed on the current list of arbitrators for a particular circuit, you will be scheduled to serve on a random and rotational basis. Under local Circuit Court Rule 18.4(d), notice of an arbitrator's scheduled date to serve is sent to the address the court has on file no later than 60 days before the scheduled date of service. Arbitrators must contact the arbitration staff in the location where they are scheduled to serve no later than 48 hours prior to their scheduled date to confirm or cancel their attendance for the day. Arbitrators who do not contact the staff at their scheduled arbitration location will be cancelled from service and replaced with another arbitrator. Please note that arbitration staff in each location may have to call and change or cancel your service as well due to fluctuations in the arbitration hearing docket. This can happen as late as the day before your scheduled date of service. Please make sure you check both your listed telephone number and your email after 3:30 p.m. the day before your scheduled service date, in case there are any scheduling changes

How often will I be called as an arbitrator?

Remember that arbitrators are assigned on a random and rotational basis under court rules. The number of assignments you receive depends on the number of currently active arbitrators. For example, if you are scheduled today to arbitrate, the computer won't assign you again until it has given dates to everyone else on the active arbitrator listing. Generally speaking, arbitrators can expect between four (4) and six (6) scheduled arbitration service dates per calendar year.

How do I get on the arbitration list for suburban courthouses?

Arbitration hearings are also scheduled at each of Cook County's suburban courthouses. Active arbitrators can choose to add only one suburban courthouse in addition to their service downtown if they would like to be scheduled for suburban hearings. Please note although that this is in addition to downtown, arbitrators must serve for both downtown hearings and suburban cases. You cannot attend only your scheduled dates in the suburbs.

How do I serve on a panel for a partial day only?

The court schedules every arbitrator for a full day of service. However, when you call in advance to confirm your arbitration service, the arbitration staff may be able to accommodate a request to serve in the morning only or afternoon only, as the arbitration schedule does fluctuate. Serving a partial day is dependent on the number of cases scheduled for that day as well as the times of those cases. Please note that you are scheduled for a whole day's service unless you tell us otherwise and we confirm it in advance OR the arbitration center staff contacts you the day prior to your hearings to inform you otherwise. It is extremely important to check your voicemail and email the day prior to your service date around 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. We will leave you a message or email you with any last minute scheduling changes.

What time should I arrive at the arbitration center?

Please make sure to arrive 30 minutes prior to the start of your first hearing of the day. This is very important so that the administrative staff has time to verify the information they need for your service and has time to assign arbitrators to their hearing rooms before cases are set to begin. It also gives you and the staff enough time to make any changes to case assignments if there are any situations where you or another arbitrator would need to recuse yourself from an assigned case. Please note that if you arrive after a case is scheduled to begin (8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. or 2 p.m. downtown and 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. or 3 p.m. in the suburbs) and the case has already started, the staff will not be able to place you in your assigned room for that hearing which means you would not get paid for that case.

How do I prepare for my day at arbitration?

Arbitrators should bring the following:

Legal pad, pen and calculator (helpful when calculating damages);
Any reference materials and your downloaded arbitrator reference manual or materials; and
Any other necessary items/work for down time between hearings.

How do I update my contact information with the arbitration center?

Ensuring that a current mailing address and telephone number are on file with the arbitration staff is extremely important so that you receive your notices to serve and your payments for serving in a timely manner. Arbitrators' address and telephone number information is kept in a database that is maintained by the Office of the Circuit Clerk in Room 801 of the Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street, Chicago, Illinois 60602. The clerks in this room have a form that you need to complete to make any updates or changes to your information; the arbitration staff cannot make these changes. The form can also be found on the Office of the Circuit Clerk's website at www.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org and can be submitted electronically via this website by following the instructions as listed. The appropriate court form to change your address/telephone number information is under the Law Division forms, number 351-006.

How do I receive my payment for serving as an arbitrator?

Arbitrators are paid $100 for each arbitration hearing that they conduct, which includes attending the full hearing plus participating in the deliberation and signing the final award. You are working as an independent contractor for the State of Illinois when you serve as an arbitrator (you are not an employee), and there are steps that must be followed to get your payment processed. The arbitration staff will have you sign an invoice voucher on the day you serve as an arbitrator which they will verify, process and send to the Office of the Comptroller in Springfield to issue the payment checks. The Comptroller's Office will send payment by regular mail to the address you have listed with the Office of the Circuit Clerk of Cook County. It can take the Comptroller's Office from 2-6 weeks to receive, verify, process and send your payment checks. Links for the Arbitrator Reference Manual (Publications)