The assignment of Domestic Relations cases that are filed in the Richard J. Daley Center is different from the assignment of Domestic Relations cases filed in the five suburban municipal district courthouses (Skokie, Rolling Meadows, Maywood, Bridgeview and Markham).
Cases filed in the suburbs are assigned to an individual calendar (see section below). If the suburban courthouse has more than one Domestic Relations judge, the case will be randomly assigned to a judge by a computer.
Cases filed in the Richard J. Daley Center are assigned to either an individual calendar or a team calendar (see section below). The assignment is randomly made by a computer.
Individual Calendar Judge:
If your case is assigned to an Individual Calendar, all phases of the proceedings (preliminary, trial, and post decree) will be heard by one judge.
Team Calendar:
If your case is assigned to a Team Calendar, each phase of the proceeding (preliminary, trial, and post decree) will be heard by a different judge. As a rule, the preliminary judge will hear all matters prior to the trial of the case. The preliminary judge for each team shall be responsible for monitoring case progress, including case management conferences.
After preliminary matters are concluded and the parties have entered into a full agreement or wish to proceed to trial on some or all matters, the case is assigned to a trial judge on the team calendar. Trial judges hear contested trials, default or stipulated prove ups, and other matters that are assigned to them.
Finally, at least one member of the judicial team shall be designated to hear post-judgment matters. The judge so designated shall hear all post-judgment matters after the entry of a final and appealable judgment assigned to that team, and such other matters that are assigned to the post-judgment judge.
Due to unavailability of team judges, cases may be transferred outside of the team to the Presiding Judge of the Domestic Relations Division. If your case is assigned to the Presiding Judge then the Presiding Judge will assign the case to another trial judge. Following the conclusion of the hearing or trial, your case will be sent back to the Team Calendar.