Supreme Court Support Staff & Contact Information

There are several support units which assist the Supreme Court with its work as the state’s highest court. These units are located in Springfield and Chicago.

Clerk of the Supreme Court
Carolyn Taft Grosboll

The Clerk of the Supreme Court is appointed by the Court, reports to the Court and serves at the Court’s pleasure. The Clerk is the Court’s principal case processing and records manager who operates the office through a staff of specialized deputies, and by planning, developing, and implementing policies and procedures necessary to execute the responsibilities of the office. The office has existed since circa 1818 and supports the Court in the exercise of its statewide jurisdiction, authority to regulate the practice of law in Illinois, and supervisory authority over the courts in the state.

In its case management capacity, the Clerk’s Office maintains four distinct automated dockets, executing all associated processes, to ensure compliance with Supreme Court Rules and to ensure that cases are effectively monitored and scheduled, from initiation to issuance of mandates and final orders as appropriate. The general docket unit of the office supports the Court’s primary docket. The miscellaneous record docket consists primarily of attorney matters. The miscellaneous docket consists of conviction-related cases filed by pro se incarcerated litigants and provides a forum without compromising standard filing requirements.The proposed rule docket was developed and functions consistent with the mandate of Supreme Court Rule 3. E-filing of Court documents began in 2012 on a pilot basis for certain cases on the general docket and was expanded in 2013 to permit e-filing in all cases on the Court’s general and miscellaneous record dockets. While e-filing is not mandatory, the number of attorneys and pro se litigants using the Court’s e-filing system grew in 2016.

In its record management capacity, the Clerk’s Office maintains the Court’s active and closed files and permanent records, dating to 1818, including historically significant documents which are housed and preserved in the State Archives by agreement, and through an agreement with State Archives oversees the conversion of paper documents to microfilm, a more stable medium.

The Clerk’s Office registers and renews professional service corporations and associations, and limited liability companies and partnerships engaged in the practice of law. In October 2012, the Supreme Court announced an e-renewal process beginning with the 2013 renewal year, that gave law firm entities the option to electronically renew their annual registration and pay the $40 renewal fee electronically. In the fourth year of this e-initiative, approximately 67% of law firm entities chose to electronically renew. The Clerk’s Office is also responsible for maintaining the roll of attorneys, which includes the licensing process, and issuance of law licenses; files judicial financial disclosure statements required of state court judges. The office compiles, analyzes, and reports statistics on the Supreme Court’s caseload and other activity, as reflected in the accompanying statistical summary and narrative for 2016.

The Clerk’s Office provides information to the public at large and the practicing bar and has working relationships with other courts and judicial branch offices, Supreme Court agencies, and state and county departments.

Marshal of the Supreme Court
Jim Cimarossa

The Marshal attends all sessions of the Court held in September, November, January, March, and May. In addition, the Marshal directs a staff which maintains the Supreme Court Building and grounds, provides security for justices and employees, and conducts tours of the building.

Supreme Court Chief Internal Auditor
John Bracco

The Supreme Court Chief Internal Auditor and staff perform audits of the state-funded activities of the judicial branch. In addition, the Internal Auditor annually assesses the adequacy of internal controls for state-funded activities.

Supreme Court Research Director
John Robinson

The Supreme Court Research Director supervises a staff of attorneys who provide legal research and writing assistance to the Court.

Supreme Court Librarian
Geoffrey P. Pelzek

The Supreme Court Librarian directs a staff who provide legal reference services to the courts, state agencies, and citizens of the state. The Supreme Court libraries include a 100,000 volume public law library in Springfield, a 40,000 volume private branch library in Chicago, and four private judicial libraries across the state. The Librarian oversees all aspects of library administration including budget and program planning, materials and equipment acquisition, cataloging and collection development, and library reference and research services.

Reporter of Decisions
Jacob Jost

The Reporter of Decisions directs a staff that publishes opinions of the supreme and appellate courts in the Official Reports. Employees verify case citations, compose attorney lines, and edit opinions for style and grammar. The Reporter is also responsible for publication of the Illinois Supreme Court Rules and preparation of the Style Manual for the Supreme and Appellate Courts.