Illinois Courthouses That Ban Cell Phones (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 CourthouseCityCell phones bannedPhone LockersJuror Parking
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 Phones banned · NO lockers at door No lockers 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 Phones banned · NO lockers at door 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 Phones banned · NO lockers at door 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 Phones banned · NO lockers at door 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 Phones banned · NO lockers at door 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 Phones banned · NO lockers at door 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 Phones banned · NO lockers at door 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 Phones banned · NO lockers at door 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 Phones banned · NO lockers at door 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 Phones banned · NO lockers at door 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 Phones banned · NO lockers at door 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 Phones banned · NO lockers at door 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 Phones banned · NO lockers at door 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 Phones banned · NO lockers at door 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 Phones banned · NO lockers at door 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 Phones banned · NO lockers at door 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 Phones banned · Lockers at door (Free) 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 Phones banned · Lockers at door (Free) Yes (Free) Free Validated
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 Phones allowed on silent 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 Phones allowed on silent 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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