Yesterday, we reviewed the areas of law involved in the criminal cases from Cook county – the only county in the First Appellate District – from 1990 to 2004.  Today, we’re reviewing the numbers for the years 2005 to 2019.

The Court decided seven criminal procedure cases from Cook county in 2005, three cases each in constitutional law, habeas and juvenile issues, two cases involving sexual offenses and one involving violent crimes.  In 2006, the Court decided nine criminal procedure cases, seven on constitutional law, and one case each in habeas corpus, juvenile issues, sentencing and violent crimes.  In 2007, the Court decided five cases in constitutional law, four in criminal procedure and habeas corpus, and one each involving the death penalty and sentencing law.  In 2008, the Court decided seven constitutional law cases, four each in criminal procedure and sentencing, two about juvenile law issues, and one each regarding the death penalty and habeas corpus.  In 2009, the Court decided sixteen criminal procedure cases from Cook county, three cases involving constitutional law, two involving habeas corpus and sentencing law and one each involving sexual offenses, juvenile law issues and the death penalty.

The Supreme Court decided nine criminal procedure cases from Cook county in 2010, six habeas corpus cases, two each in constitutional law and sentencing, and one each involving the death penalty, juvenile issues and political offenses.  In 2011, the Court decided nine sentencing cases, eight criminal procedure cases, three cases each about property crimes and violent crimes, two habeas corpus cases and one case involving sexual offenses.  In 2012, the Court decided four constitutional law cases, three criminal procedure cases and two cases each in habeas corpus, sexual offenses and violent crimes.  In 2013, the Court decided eight criminal procedure cases, five constitutional law cases, three habeas cases, two sentencing cases and one case each relating to drug offenses, juvenile issues and property crimes.  In 2014, there were three constitutional law cases, two cases each in criminal procedure, habeas and sexual offenses, and one each involving juvenile issues and mental health issues.

The Court decided seven constitutional law cases in 2015, three criminal procedure, two sentencing, two involving violent crimes, and one each involving habeas corpus and juvenile issues.  The following year, the Court decided five criminal procedure cases, three cases involving habeas corpus and sentencing, two involving constitutional law and violent crimes, and one involving juvenile issues.  In 2017, the Court decided seven constitutional law cases, four involving juvenile issues, three in criminal procedure and one each involving drug offenses, mental health issues and property crimes.  In 2018, the Court decided three criminal procedure cases and one case each in constitutional law, sentencing and violent crimes.  In 2019, the Court has decided two constitutional law cases from Cook county.

Finally, we review what share of the total criminal docket from 1990 to 2019 (to date) was accounted for by each area of law.  Four areas are in double digits: criminal procedure (22.27%), constitutional law (21.81%), the death penalty (17.29%) and habeas corpus (15.73%).  Following those areas were sentencing (7.94%), juvenile issues (5.14%) and violent crimes (4.83%).

Join us back here next week as we turn our attention to a new issue in our examination of the Court’s decision making.

Image courtesy of Flickr by David Wilson (no changes).