Chicago is the First Municipal District, and unlike the suburban districts it is not one building. An arrest in the city sends you to a neighbourhood branch court, and possibly to bond court before that. Which branch depends on where the arrest happened and what you are charged with.
This page covers the branch courts and bond court, the buildings almost every Chicago case passes through first. Felony cases that move on to 26th and California are covered separately. Our attorneys are former Illinois prosecutors who worked these courtrooms, which is a different thing from having read about them.
Misdemeanor branch courts
A misdemeanor or traffic case in Chicago is heard at the branch court covering the district where the arrest happened.
- Branch 23, 5555 West Grand Avenue
- Branch 29, 2452 West Belmont Avenue
- Branch 34, 155 West 51st Street
- Branch 35, 727 East 111th Street
- Branch 43, 3150 West Flournoy Street
- Branch 46, 555 West Harrison Street
Felony preliminary hearings
A felony charge starts with a preliminary hearing at one of these branches before the case moves to 26th and California. Note that several share a building with a misdemeanor branch, so the address alone will not tell you which courtroom you are in.
- Branch 38, 727 East 111th Street
- Branch 42, 2452 West Belmont Avenue
- Branch 44, 3150 West Flournoy Street
- Branch 48, 155 West 51st Street
- Branch 50, 5555 West Grand Avenue
- Branch 66, 2600 South California Avenue
The preliminary hearing is the first real test of the State’s case, and it is routinely treated as a formality. It is not one.
Where a felony case goes after the branch court
If the case survives the preliminary hearing it leaves the branch court and is assigned to the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse at 2650 S California Ave, known as 26th and California. That building, its courtrooms and what to expect on a first appearance there are covered on our page about felony cases at 26th and California.
Bond court
If you were arrested Monday to Friday, your bond hearing is at one of the branch courts above. If you were arrested over the weekend, you go to Central Bond Court at the Leighton courthouse, which starts at 12:30 p.m. and hears felony and misdemeanor cases from across the county.
The branch court and bond court work we take
- DUI defense if you were arrested for driving under the influence
- Criminal defense for misdemeanor and felony charges
- Traffic ticket defense for citations and licence issues
- Gun charges, which are common in the Chicago branch calls
A preliminary hearing is the first real test of the State’s case, and it is routinely treated as a formality. Nicholas Ktenas is a former Cook County prosecutor and has stood on the other side of that hearing. Alexander Ktenas, our managing partner, has conducted hundreds of criminal and DUI trials. What that buys you is an honest read on whether the State’s case is as solid as it looks on the first date.
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For the suburban districts, see Cook County court districts.
Questions about Chicago’s branch courts and bond court
It depends on where the arrest happened and what you are charged with, not on your home address. A misdemeanor or traffic case is heard at one of six branch courts across the city, and the branch is printed on your citation or bond paperwork. Confirm that address against the list on this page before you travel.
Weekend arrests go to Central Bond Court at the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse, which starts at 12:30 p.m. and hears felony and misdemeanor cases from across Cook County. An arrest made Monday through Friday instead has its bond hearing at one of the branch courts listed on this page.
No. A felony case starts with a preliminary hearing at one of six branch locations, and if it survives that hearing it moves to the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse at 26th and California for the remainder. The preliminary hearing is the first real test of the State’s case, so it is worth taking seriously rather than treating it as a formality.
Several branch numbers sit in the same building, such as Branch 29 and Branch 42, which both list 2452 West Belmont Avenue. The address alone will not tell you which courtroom or which call you belong to. Check the branch number on your own paperwork rather than relying on the street address.
Yes. Gun charges are common in the Chicago branch calls, and a felony weapons charge goes through the same preliminary hearing process as any other felony in the city. What happens at that early hearing can shape how the case is described once it reaches the Leighton Courthouse.
Find out which branch court has your case
Chicago’s branch system is the part people get wrong most often, because the address on the paperwork does not always tell you which courtroom or which call you belong to. Tell us what you were charged with, which building you were told to appear at, and when.
You will speak to an attorney, not an intake screener, and you will get a straight read on what the charge carries and what is realistically arguable.
Start a free, confidential case review. If we are not the right firm for your case, we will say so.
Last reviewed 08/21/2026
