Financing the state court system is a shared responsibility
of the state and the 102 counties of the state. Revenue to
provide court services to the people of the state comes from a
variety of sources: the state income tax, county property taxes, case
filing fees, court-imposed fines and assessments, and other fees.
State government pays for the salaries, benefits,
and office expenses of supreme and appellate court
judges, and salaries and benefits of circuit court
judges. Effective July 1, 2018, judicial salaries, as
determined by the legislature, were: Supreme Court
justices, $234,391; appellate court judges, $220,605;
circuit court judges, $202,433; and associate judges,
$192,311. The state also pays for support staff of
supreme and appellate court judges, staff in other units
of the supreme and appellate courts, a small number
of other personnel in the circuit courts, and mandatory
arbitration staff in several counties. Part of the cost
of operating the mandatory arbitration program is
offset by fees paid by participants in the program.
During Calendar Year 2016, the arbitration filing and
rejection fees collected amounted to $4,436,432.52.
State funding for probation and court services
departments covers approximately 3,100 probation and
court services personnel, for which the counties receive
partial salary reimbursement on a monthly basis.
State funding provided about 85% of eligible funding
reimbursement. Additional cuts would jeopardize
the provision of core probation services, and for the
past few years, many of the departments struggle to
preserve basic services as a result of budget and staff
reductions.
County governments pay part of the cost of financing
circuit court operations. Counties provide office and
courtroom space, maintenance, and support staff to
assist the circuit court judges. Circuit clerks collect
money to help pay for their operations and some court
operations. They also collect and disburse revenues
to help fund local and state government programs, as
summarized on the next page.
Local Funding
The circuit clerk’s office in each county provides a
variety of court recordkeeping and financial accounting
services. Circuit clerks are elected for four-year terms
by the voters in each county. Circuit clerks, with help
from deputy clerks, attend sessions of the court,
preserve court files and papers, and maintain complete
records of all cases. Employees of the clerks’ offices are
appointed by and are accountable to the circuit clerk,
with the county board having budgetary authority.
During 2016, the total number of full-time employees
in all 102 circuit clerk offices was 3,236, assisted by a
total of 148 part-time employees. The cost of operating
all circuit clerks’ offices totaled $209,021,673 in
2016.
Revenue to pay for these court-related services comes
primarily from property taxes, filing fees, and courtordered
fines and costs. Fines, fees and other costs
collected by circuit clerks are governed primarily by
statute and Supreme Court rule.
Revenue to Finance
Local Improvements
Fees and court-ordered fines were collected in 2016 by
circuit clerks and earmarked for improvements in the
clerks’ offices and to help defray the cost to the county
of operating the courts at the local level.
Court Document Storage Fund
is used for any costs relative to the storage of
court records. |
$24,775,596 |
Court Automation Fund
is used to establish and maintain automated
systems for keeping court records.
|
$24,819,859 |
County Law Library Fund
helps defray the costs of maintaining a law
library in the county for judges, attorneys, and
the public.
|
$8,738,350 |
County Fund To Finance the Court System
is available from fees collected by circuit clerks
to help finance the court system in the county.
|
$5,492,397 |
Circuit Court Clerk Operations
and Administrative Fund
is used to offset costs incurred for collection
and disbursement of State and local funds. |
$3,578,523 |
Uncollected Claims
The Administrative Office, the Supreme Court Clerk,
the Supreme Court Library, and the Clerks of the five
Appellate Districts are responsible for collecting certain
fees. Outstanding accounts receivable are normally
collected by the unit to which the account is owed.
Additionally, a small number of accounts receivable
are turned over to the State Comptroller’s offset system.
At the end of FY16, there were 21 claims due and
payable, totaling $44,490.20.
Revenue to Finance
Other Programs
In addition to collecting fees for local improvements,
circuit clerks receive, account for, and distribute
millions of dollars to county governments, various local
governmental entities, and various state funds. Some of
the programs and dollars collected in 2016 by circuit
clerks are listed below:
Child Support and Maintenance: Court ordered payments collected and distributed by Circuit Clerks and the State Disbursement Unit. $1,216,106,017
Drug Treatment Fund: Court ordered drug assessments are used to pay for treatment programs for people addicted to alcohol, cannabis, or controlled substances. $3,241,719
Violent Crime Victims Assistance: Court ordered penalties in criminal and certain traffic cases are used to support victim and witness assistance centers throughout the state. $6,976,303
Trauma Center Fund: Fees collected in certain traffic, DUI, and criminal cases are used to support Illinois hospitals that are designated as trauma centers. $3,108,301
Traffic and Criminal Conviction Surcharge: An additional penalty imposed in traffic and criminal cases is used for training of law enforcement and correctional officers. $1,841,258
Drivers Education Fund: Penalties and forfeitures in offenses reportable to the Secretary of State are used for driver education programs in high schools. $3,495,832
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