Public Accountability Report Public Accountability Report

2021 Mandatory Arbitration
Mission Statement The Supreme Court of Illinois and the Illinois General Assembly created court-annexed mandatory arbitration to reduce the backlog of civil cases and to provide litigants with a system in which their complaints could be more quickly resolved by an impartial fact-finder.
Program Goals and Objectives
  1. Mandatory arbitration programs provide an alternative resolution process to eligible litigants to resolve their disputes fairly, quickly, and at a reduced cost.
    Source of Funds General Revenue Fund, Mandatory Arbitration Fund Statutory Authority 735 ILCS 5/2-1001A et seq.
    Fiscal Year 2022 Target/Projected Fiscal Year 2021 Actual Fiscal Year 2021 Target/Projected Fiscal Year 2020 Actual Fiscal Year 2019 Actual
    Input Indicators
    Total expenditures - all sources (in thousands) $ 30,395.1 $ 3,413.3 $ 30,342.0 $ 2,784.2 $ 3,425.9
    Total expenditures - state appropriated funds (in thousands) $ 30,395.1 $ 3,413.3 $ 30,342.0 $ 2,784.2 $ 3,425.9
    Average monthly full-time equivalents 21.0 20.0 24.0 20.0 20.0
    Output Indicators
    Number of civil cases placed on the calendar N/A 29,207 N/A 23,680 26,570
    Outcome Indicators
    Number of civil cases disposed prior to hearing N/A 6,395 N/A 4,937 7,326
    Percentage of cases disposed prior to hearing (a) N/A 21.90% N/A 20.85% 27.57%
    Number of post-hearing dispositions (b) N/A 401.0 N/A 751.0 775.0
    Number of post-rejection dispositions (c) N/A 1,725 N/A 2,484 3,032
    Number of civil cases proceeded to trial (d) N/A 106.0 N/A 329.0 277.0
    Percentage of civil cases proceeded to trial N/A 0.36% N/A 1.39% 1.04%
    Efficiency/Cost-Effectiveness Indicators
    Average cost per civil case filed (in dollars) N/A $ 117.00 N/A $ 118.00 $ 129.00
    Footnotes
    Civil cases in which the litigants reach a mutual agreement prior to an arbitration hearing. Litigants go before a panel of three attorneys who hear the case. The panel renders a non-binding decision called an award. The case is disposed if the litigants accept or reject the award; otherwise, the case proceeds to trial. Cases in which the litigants reach a mutual agreement prior to a trial. Civil cases that have passed through the arbitration process without reaching an agreement.

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