Illinois Courthouse Cell Phone Policy (2026)
Short answer: It depends on the county administrative order: 2 of 20 tracked courthouses in Illinois allow silenced cell phones, while 18 prohibit cell phones for general visitors and traffic court defendants. Updated 2026-11-04
Of the 20 county courthouses we track in Illinois, 2 (10%) allow visitors to bring cell phones inside on silent mode, while 18 (90%) ban cell phones for the general public at the security checkpoint. Warning: 16 courthouses ban phones AND provide no storage lockers at the entrance. Illinois has some of the strictest courthouse cell phone bans in the United States (48 of 102 counties ban general public phones). In Cook County suburban districts, DuPage County, Will County, and Winnebago County, non-juror visitors arriving by Uber or bus without a car are turned away if no lockers exist.
| County Courthouse | City | Cell phone policy | Phone Lockers | Juror Parking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County Lake County Courthouse & Babcox Justice Center (Waukegan) “Lake County Courthouse & Babcox Justice Center (Waukegan) Circuit Court Policy: "Cell phones are permitted inside the facility on silent mode. All phones must be silenced in courtrooms."” |
Waukegan | Allowed (silent mode in courtrooms) | Yes (Free) | Free Validated |
| Will County Will County Courthouse (Joliet) “Will County Courthouse (Joliet) Circuit Court Policy: "Cell phones are permitted inside the facility on silent mode. All phones must be silenced in courtrooms."” |
Joliet | Allowed (silent mode in courtrooms) | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Cook County Richard J. Daley Center & Suburban Municipal District Courthouses (Skokie, Bridgeview, Maywood, Rolling Meadows, Markham) “Circuit Court of Cook County General Administrative Order 2013-01: "Cell phones and portable electronic devices are prohibited in the Leighton Criminal Courthouse (26th & California) and regulated across Suburban Municipal District Courthouses (Skokie, Rolling Meadows, Maywood, Bridgeview, Markham). Summoned jurors with a juror badge and licensed attorneys are exempt."” |
Chicago | Banned for public · Jurors & attorneys exempt | No lockers | Free Validated |
| DuPage County DuPage County Judicial Center (Wheaton) “18th Judicial Circuit Court (DuPage County) Security Rule: "General public visitors and traffic/family litigants are prohibited from bringing cell phones past the security checkpoint unless presenting active pro se court approval; summoned jurors showing their jury summons may bring phones to the Jury Lounge."” |
Wheaton | Banned for public · Jurors & attorneys exempt | Yes (Free) | Free Validated |
| Kane County Kane County Judicial Center (St. Charles) “Kane County Judicial Center (St. Charles) Circuit Court Administrative Order: "All portable electronic devices including cell phones and smartwatches are prohibited inside the courthouse for litigants and the general public. Exemptions apply to licensed attorneys, badged jurors, and persons with a specific medical device order."” |
St. Charles | Banned for public · Jurors & attorneys exempt | Yes (Free) | Free Validated |
| McHenry County McHenry County Courthouse (Woodstock) “McHenry County Courthouse (Woodstock) Circuit Court Administrative Order: "All portable electronic devices including cell phones and smartwatches are prohibited inside the courthouse for litigants and the general public. Exemptions apply to licensed attorneys, badged jurors, and persons with a specific medical device order."” |
Woodstock | Banned for public · Jurors & attorneys exempt | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Winnebago County Winnebago County Courthouse & Criminal Justice Center (Rockford) “Winnebago County Courthouse & Criminal Justice Center (Rockford) Circuit Court Administrative Order: "All portable electronic devices including cell phones and smartwatches are prohibited inside the courthouse for litigants and the general public. Exemptions apply to licensed attorneys, badged jurors, and persons with a specific medical device order."” |
Rockford | Banned for public · Jurors & attorneys exempt | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Madison County Madison County Courthouse (Edwardsville) “Madison County Courthouse (Edwardsville) Circuit Court Administrative Order: "All portable electronic devices including cell phones and smartwatches are prohibited inside the courthouse for litigants and the general public. Exemptions apply to licensed attorneys, badged jurors, and persons with a specific medical device order."” |
Edwardsville | Banned for public · Jurors & attorneys exempt | No lockers | Free Validated |
| St. Clair County St. Clair County Courthouse (Belleville) “St. Clair County Courthouse (Belleville) Circuit Court Administrative Order: "All portable electronic devices including cell phones and smartwatches are prohibited inside the courthouse for litigants and the general public. Exemptions apply to licensed attorneys, badged jurors, and persons with a specific medical device order."” |
Belleville | Banned for public · Jurors & attorneys exempt | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Champaign County Champaign County Courthouse (Urbana) “Champaign County Courthouse (Urbana) Circuit Court Administrative Order: "All portable electronic devices including cell phones and smartwatches are prohibited inside the courthouse for litigants and the general public. Exemptions apply to licensed attorneys, badged jurors, and persons with a specific medical device order."” |
Urbana | Banned for public · Jurors & attorneys exempt | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Sangamon County Sangamon County Courthouse (Springfield) “Sangamon County Courthouse (Springfield) Circuit Court Administrative Order: "All portable electronic devices including cell phones and smartwatches are prohibited inside the courthouse for litigants and the general public. Exemptions apply to licensed attorneys, badged jurors, and persons with a specific medical device order."” |
Springfield | Banned for public · Jurors & attorneys exempt | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Peoria County Peoria County Courthouse (Peoria) “Peoria County Courthouse (Peoria) Circuit Court Administrative Order: "All portable electronic devices including cell phones and smartwatches are prohibited inside the courthouse for litigants and the general public. Exemptions apply to licensed attorneys, badged jurors, and persons with a specific medical device order."” |
Peoria | Banned for public · Jurors & attorneys exempt | No lockers | Free Validated |
| McLean County McLean County Courthouse (Bloomington) “McLean County Courthouse (Bloomington) Circuit Court Administrative Order: "All portable electronic devices including cell phones and smartwatches are prohibited inside the courthouse for litigants and the general public. Exemptions apply to licensed attorneys, badged jurors, and persons with a specific medical device order."” |
Bloomington | Banned for public · Jurors & attorneys exempt | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Rock Island County Rock Island County Courthouse (Rock Island) “Rock Island County Courthouse (Rock Island) Circuit Court Administrative Order: "All portable electronic devices including cell phones and smartwatches are prohibited inside the courthouse for litigants and the general public. Exemptions apply to licensed attorneys, badged jurors, and persons with a specific medical device order."” |
Rock Island | Banned for public · Jurors & attorneys exempt | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Tazewell County Tazewell County Courthouse (Pekin) “Tazewell County Courthouse (Pekin) Circuit Court Administrative Order: "All portable electronic devices including cell phones and smartwatches are prohibited inside the courthouse for litigants and the general public. Exemptions apply to licensed attorneys, badged jurors, and persons with a specific medical device order."” |
Pekin | Banned for public · Jurors & attorneys exempt | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Kankakee County Kankakee County Courthouse (Kankakee) “Kankakee County Courthouse (Kankakee) Circuit Court Administrative Order: "All portable electronic devices including cell phones and smartwatches are prohibited inside the courthouse for litigants and the general public. Exemptions apply to licensed attorneys, badged jurors, and persons with a specific medical device order."” |
Kankakee | Banned for public · Jurors & attorneys exempt | No lockers | Free Validated |
| DeKalb County DeKalb County Courthouse (Sycamore) “DeKalb County Courthouse (Sycamore) Circuit Court Administrative Order: "All portable electronic devices including cell phones and smartwatches are prohibited inside the courthouse for litigants and the general public. Exemptions apply to licensed attorneys, badged jurors, and persons with a specific medical device order."” |
Sycamore | Banned for public · Jurors & attorneys exempt | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Kendall County Kendall County Courthouse (Yorkville) “Kendall County Courthouse (Yorkville) Circuit Court Administrative Order: "All portable electronic devices including cell phones and smartwatches are prohibited inside the courthouse for litigants and the general public. Exemptions apply to licensed attorneys, badged jurors, and persons with a specific medical device order."” |
Yorkville | Banned for public · Jurors & attorneys exempt | No lockers | Free Validated |
| LaSalle County LaSalle County Courthouse (Ottawa) “LaSalle County Courthouse (Ottawa) Circuit Court Administrative Order: "All portable electronic devices including cell phones and smartwatches are prohibited inside the courthouse for litigants and the general public. Exemptions apply to licensed attorneys, badged jurors, and persons with a specific medical device order."” |
Ottawa | Banned for public · Jurors & attorneys exempt | No lockers | Free Validated |
| Macon County Macon County Courthouse (Decatur) “Macon County Courthouse (Decatur) Circuit Court Administrative Order: "All portable electronic devices including cell phones and smartwatches are prohibited inside the courthouse for litigants and the general public. Exemptions apply to licensed attorneys, badged jurors, and persons with a specific medical device order."” |
Decatur | Banned for public · Jurors & attorneys exempt | No lockers | Free Validated |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bring my cell phone to a courthouse in Illinois?
It depends on the county administrative order: 2 of 20 tracked courthouses in Illinois allow silenced cell phones, while 18 prohibit cell phones for general visitors and traffic court defendants.
Which courthouses in Illinois ban phones and have no lockers at the door?
Cook County (Chicago), McHenry County (Woodstock), Winnebago County (Rockford), Madison County (Edwardsville), St. Clair County (Belleville) and 11 more prohibit public cell phones and have no entrance storage lockers. If you arrive by Uber or bus with a phone, bailiffs will turn you away.
Are summoned jurors allowed to bring cell phones in Illinois?
In 20 of 20 counties in Illinois, summoned jurors presenting an official Jury Summons are permitted to bring cell phones into the Jury Assembly Room even when general visitors are banned.
How is this courthouse policy data verified?
We verify every county against official Court Administrative Orders (.gov), Jury Commissioner instructions, and Sheriff Court Security directives. Last verified 2026-11-04.
More Courthouse Rules in Illinois
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- Phone lockers at entrance in Illinois
- Uber & bus rider safe (no car) in Illinois
- Jury duty parking & validation in Illinois
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- Security line wait times in Illinois
- Courtroom dress code in Illinois
- Smartwatches & Apple Watch in Illinois