The Illinois Supreme Court has announced a new Policy on Transparency, providing the public with more data and information on the judicial branch.
The new policy furthers the Illinois Supreme Court’s commitment to transparency, while formalizing and standardizing existing information-sharing practices.
“Transparency means making data, budgets, and financial reports accessible to the public. It is the judiciary’s strongest bridge to public trust and to the restoration of confidence in our courts,” Chief Justice P. Scott Neville, Jr. said in the press release.
What the Policy on Transparency covers
By July 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) will publish data from Circuit Clerk Offices, Court Services/Probation, Juvenile Detention Center(s) (JDC), the Supreme and Appellate Courts, and the Illinois Office of Statewide Pretrial Services (OSPS).
In addition, on or before July 31, 2026, and annually thereafter, the AOIC will publish the judicial branch’s budget and identify the number of full-time employees at the judicial branch and organizational charts.
A list of the specific data categories to be released can be found in the policy.
This policy expands upon reports currently available online from Illinois Courts, including the Circuit Court Statistical Dashboard, Data & Metrics Pretrial Dashboards from OSPS, and yearly statistical summaries from the Illinois Courts Annual Report.
The AOIC and OSPS will review the policy annually and advise the Court if additional categories of data and information should be made public. The policy also notes that it does not prohibit the AOIC and OSPS from releasing data or information not covered in the policy.
Who recommended the Policy on Transparency?
The Policy on Transparency stemmed from recommendations by the Illinois Judicial Conference’s (IJC) Public Requests for Information Task Force, which was established in 2024 to develop recommendations to improve judicial branch transparency.
The IJC provides strategic planning for the Illinois Judicial Branch, in line with the branch’s core values: Fairness, Accountability, Integrity, and Respect (FAIR).
To learn more about the strategic plan, view the 2026 – 2028 Strategic Agenda.
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