The Cook County State’s Attorney oversees one of the largest prosecutor offices in the nation, second only to Los Angeles County. It employs more than 1,500 personnel, including almost 900 attorneys, and has a broad scope of responsibility, including:
- Prosecuting all misdemeanor and felony crimes committed in Cook County
- Serving as legal counsel for Cook County government, its officeholders and employees
- Handling cases involving juveniles and civil actions against parents and guardians who abuse or neglect their children
- Providing a full range of legal services for all county agencies, and represents the county’s interests in actions brought to collect monies owed for taxes and fees
- Handling complex criminal and public corruption cases, including auto theft, gang crimes, government and financial crimes, organized crime, cold cases and professional standards
- Initiating civil and criminal lawsuits to protect individuals and the general public interest, including consumer fraud and crimes against seniors and people with disabilities
- Being in charge of child support enforcement, labor and employment, torts and civil rights, industrial claims, revenue recovery, municipal litigation, transactions/health law and real estate taxation
- Employing more than 120 sworn officers who provide investigative and logistical support in the preparation and presentation of cases and also assist local law enforcement efforts
- Providing paralegals, law clerks, law librarians and court reporters
- Overseeing narcotics courtrooms and drug treatment programs
- Managing victim assistance and community justice programs
—Deborah L. Shelton