Access for People with Disabilities | State of Illinois Office of the Illinois Courts

The Supreme Court of Illinois Policy on Access for People with Disabilities says that people with disabilities can make requests for reasonable accommodations, accessibility aids, and services to ensure their equal access to court activities.

 This Policy applies to all Illinois state courts. These courts hear cases related to Illinois state law, including criminal and civil issues, in the Circuit Courts (or trial courts), Appellate District Courts, or the Illinois Supreme Court.

Accessibility at Court: For the Public

 If you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation or have questions about court accessibility, please contact your court’s local Court Disability Coordinator (CDC) or submit a Request for Accommodation (see below).

 Court Disability Coordinators (CDCs) are court personnel who help make courts more accessible, including helping with reasonable accommodation requests, grievances, and appeals.

  While you may use the forms linked below, courts may not require you to use them to request a reasonable accommodation or submit a grievance or appeal.

All forms listed below are fillable and in  pdf format.

Accommodation Requests

• Accommodation Request Form

 A reasonable accommodation can be requested by a person with a disability to have equal access to court activities.

  This form must be accepted at any state court in Illinois and may be submitted to any court personnel. We encourage you to submit them to the local Court Disability Coordinator, whose contact information can be found on local court webpages or using the Find Your Court tool.

  Your local court will have a version of the Accommodation Request Form with your local CDC’s contact information, or you can use the form linked above and leave Section 4 blank.

Reasonable accommodations may include, but are not limited to:

1. Court documents made available in large-print, Braille, or another accessible format;
2. Access for service animals (dogs and miniature horses);
3. Adapted proceedings, including extended time for hearings, breaks, and changes to courtroom location (including remote or in-person appearances);
4. Assistance completing and filing forms and other court documents;
5. Qualified sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices, video phones, and Communication Access Real Time Transcription (CART captioning); and
6. Permitting companions, support workers, care or assistance providers or coordinators, and family members to accompany, support, and assist people with disabilities.

Grievance and Appeal Forms

• Grievance Form

A grievance tells the court that you were not given the accommodations you needed under the Illinois Supreme Court Disability Access Policy, the Americans with Disabilities Act, or the Illinois Human Rights Act or that the court violated these laws and policy. Complete this form and submit the grievance to your local court disability coordinator.

  Your local court will have a version of the Grievance Form with your local CDC’s contact information, or you can use the form linked above and leave Section 4 blank.

• Appeal Form

An appeal allows you to dispute the grievance decision if it does not resolve your issue and you believe the court has violated the Illinois Supreme Court Disability Access Policy, the Americans with Disabilities Act, or the Illinois Human Rights Act. Complete this form and submit the appeal to your local court.

  Your local court will have a version of the Appeal Form with your local CDC’s contact information, or you can use the form linked below and leave Section 4 blank.

Accessibility at Court: Resources for Courts

 The Supreme Court of Illinois Policy on Access for People with Disabilities applies to all Illinois state courts.

 The policy says that people with disabilities can make requests for reasonable accommodations, accessibility aids, and services to ensure their equal access to court activities.

  All Illinois state courts are required to comply with the Illinois Supreme Court Policy on Access for People with Disabilities, including the listed exhibits, per M.R. 25307, by July 1, 2024.

While courts may not require people with disabilities to use a particular form to make reasonable accommodation requests, grievances, and appeals, the exhibits to the Policy must be updated with the local Court Disability Coordinator contact information and made available in an accessible manner to the public online, at court, and when requested.

 Note for Court Disability Coordinators: please contact CDCReport@illinoiscourts.gov to get instructions on filling out the exhibits with your contact information and posting them online.