Public Accountability Report Public Accountability Report

2025 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 2026 Target/Projected Fiscal Year 2025 Actual Fiscal Year 2025 Target/Projected Fiscal Year 2024 Actual Fiscal Year 2023 Actual
    Input Indicators
    Total expenditures - all sources (in thousands) $ 30,875.3 $ 4,869.0 $ 30,811.0 $ 4,501.0 $ 4,303.7
    Total expenditures - state appropriated funds (in thousands) $ 30,875.3 $ 4,869.0 $ 30,811.0 $ 4,501.0 $ 4,303.7
    Average monthly full-time equivalents 23.0 22.0 23.0 19.0 20.0
    Output Indicators
    Number of civil cases placed on the calendar N/A 36,061 N/A 29,310 28,214
    Outcome Indicators
    Number of civil cases disposed prior to hearing N/A 10,988 N/A 7,105 5,215
    Percentage of cases disposed prior to hearing (a) N/A 30.47% N/A 24.24% 18.48%
    Number of post-hearing dispositions (b) N/A 544.0 N/A 1,362 524.0
    Number of post-rejection dispositions (c) N/A 633.0 N/A 729.0 779.0
    Number of civil cases proceeded to trial (d) N/A 226.0 N/A 208.0 151.0
    Percentage of civil cases proceeded to trial N/A 0.63% N/A 0.71% 0.54%
    Efficiency/Cost-Effectiveness Indicators
    Average cost per civil case filed (in dollars) N/A $ 135.00 N/A $ 154.00 $ 153.00
    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 their case. The panel renders a non-binding decision called an award. The case is disposed of 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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