Last week, we began our review of how the Court's civil cases are distributed among the Districts and Divisions of the Appellate Court. We began by covering the years 1999 through 2003. This week, we address the more recent years in our study period – first up, the Court's civil docket from 2004 through 2010.

We pointed out last week that according to the 1990 census, Cook County accounted for 44.66% of the state's population. The population shifted somewhat in the ten years between 1990 and 2000. As of 2000, Cook County was 40.49% of the state population. The Court decided 127 civil cases originating in the First District, or 41.1% of the total civil docket. The Court decided four cases from Division One in 2004, 2008 and 2010, three per year in 2005, 2006 and 2009, and one in 2007 The Court decided five cases from Division Two in 2006 and 2007, four in 2004, three in 2005 and 2008, two in 2010 and one in 2009. The Court decided four cases per year from Division Three in 2005 and 2006, three per year in 2004, 2009 and 2010 and two cases in 2008. The Court decided five cases from Division Four in 2010, three per year in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008, two in 2005 and one in 2009. The Court decided four cases from Division Five in 2004, two per year in 2005, 2007 and 2009, and one per year in 2006, 2008 and 2010. The Court decided five cases from Division Six in 2007 and 2010, four in 2005, three in 2008, two in 2006 and 2009, and one in 2004. The Court decided three cases from the Industrial Commission Division of the First District in 2005 and one each year in 2004 and 2006.

The Court decided eleven cases from the Second District in 2006 and 2008, nine cases in 2004, eight in 2009, six in 2005, four in 2007 and two in 2010. The Court decided seven cases from the Third District in 2007, five per year in 2004 and 2009, four in 2006, three each in 2005 and 2008 and two cases in 2010. The Court decided one case from the Industrial Commission Division of the Third District in 2010. The Court decided nine cases from the Fourth District in 2008, five per year in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2009, and three per year in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2009. The Court decided eight cases from the Fifth District in 2005, seven in 2004, 2006 and 2009, four in 2010, and two each in 2007 and 2008.

The Court heard seven direct appeals from the Circuit Court in 2005, six in 2004, four in 2007, three in 2006 and 2009, and one per year in 2008 and 2010. The Court decided one case within its original jurisdiction in 2004 and one in 2009. The Court decided one certified question appeal from the Seventh Circuit in 2004 and one in 2009.

Join us tomorrow as we review the data for the years 2011 through 2017.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.