COURTS DIVISION
| Joan Meyers, Legal Counsel/Prosecutor | (815) 439-2494 |
| Debra Abbott, Assistant Prosecutor | (815) 267-7204 |
| Sarah Hamilton, Court Secretary | (815) 439-4234 |
| Shelley Riggs, Court Secretary | (815) 267-7205 |
| Courts Division Fax Number | (815) 436-9981 |
The Courts Division of the Village of Plainfield Police Department is responsible for prosecuting citations and complaints issued by the Village for violations of its Code of Ordinances and certain violations of the Illinois Vehicle Code and Illinois Criminal Code. The Courts Division also administers the Village’s vehicle impound and automated traffic enforcement (red-light camera) programs, including the prosecution of impound and red-light camera violations.
The Courts Division is managed by Joan Meyers, Legal Counsel/Prosecutor to the Village's Police Department. The Courts Division is comprised of Ms. Meyers, Assistant Prosecutor Debra Abbott, and Court Secretaries Sarah Hamilton and Shelley Riggs. The Courts Division prosecutes cases at two locations, the Plainfield Law Enforcement Center and the Will County Courthouse.
Plainfield Branch Court • Aggravated Traffic Court • Administrative Adjudication
Most citations and complaints, including but not limited to general traffic and other ordinance violations such as disorderly conduct, battery, underage consumption of alcohol, possession of cannabis (under 2.5 grams) and possession of drug paraphernalia, are prosecuted at the Village’s Branch Court located at the Plainfield Law Enforcement Center, 14300 S. Coil Plus Drive, Plainfield, Illinois. Cases prosecuted in Branch Court are violations of the Village’s Code of Ordinances and are not punishable by jail. Matters prosecuted at the Plainfield Branch Court are heard on the following dates and times:
Branch Court, Plainfield Law Enforcement Center, 14300 S. Coil Plus Dr., Plainfield:
1:00 p.m. on the First Friday and Third Wednesday of each month
Matters heard in Branch Court are assigned an arraignment date (initial court date). The arraignment date is identified on the front of the traffic citation (lower left corner) and when applicable on the corresponding bond sheet. Notification of the arraignment date for non-traffic ordinance violation complaints is provided by mail. As set forth above, arraignment dates are either a first Friday or a third Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. (unless that date is a court holiday; then the arraignment date will be on a different date as identified on the citation or ordinance violation complaint notification). On the arraignment date, the defendant has the opportunity to enter a plea of “guilty” or “not guilty” to the charge set forth on the face of the citation or complaint. Please refer to your traffic citation or your ordinance violation complaint notification to determine your arraignment date. Subsequent court dates, if applicable, are set by the Presiding Judge.
With respect traffic offenses heard in Branch Court, if you are over the age of eighteen (18) and have been issued a uniform traffic citation for a traffic offense, you may avoid appearing in Court on your assigned arraignment date if your citation is marked “No Court Appearance Required” and you timely follow the instructions set forth on the back of the traffic citation for entering a plea by mail. Individuals under the age of eighteen (18) who are issued a uniform traffic citation do not have the option of entering a plea by mail and must appear in Branch Court with a parent or legal guardian.
Aggravated traffic matters are prosecuted at the Will County Courthouse, located at 14 W. Jefferson Street, Joliet, Illinois. Aggravated matters are punishable by jail, require a mandatory court appearance by the individual charged with the alleged violation, and include but are not limited to, the offenses of driving while license suspended, driving while license revoked, and reckless driving. Aggravated traffic matters are heard at the Will County Courthouse on the following dates and times:
Aggravated Traffic, Will County Courthouse, 14 W. Jefferson Street, Joliet, Illinois:
9:00 a.m. on the First, Second, and Third Thursdays of each month
Courtroom 302 (First Thursday), 303 (Second Thursday) and 304 (Third Thursday)
Matters heard in Aggravated Traffic Court are also assigned an arraignment date. The arraignment date is identified on the front of the uniform traffic citation (lower left corner) and on the corresponding bond sheet. As set forth above, a defendant’s arraignment date will be either the first, second, or third Thursday of a month at 9:00 a.m. (unless that date is a court holiday; then the arraignment date will be on a different date as identified on the citation). On the arraignment date the defendant has the opportunity to enter a plea of “guilty” or “not guilty” to the charge set forth on the face of the uniform traffic citation. Please refer to your citation or bond sheet to determine your arraignment date. Also, please note that all DUI and felony complaints are prosecuted by the Will County State's Attorney's Office and are not subject to above court schedule. Information regarding the status of such cases may be directed to the Will County Circuit Court Clerk's Office at (815) 727-8560 or may be found online at www.willcountycircuitcourt.com.
Under Illinois law certain ordinance violations may be adjudicated through an administrative adjudication process. Administrative adjudication is a process in which violations of local ordinances are adjudicated by a hearing officer rather than through the county judicial system. Matters subject to the Village’s administrative adjudication process currently include, but are not limited to, challenges to vehicle impoundment and automated traffic enforcement (red-light camera) citations. Administrative adjudication hearings are held at the Plainfield Law Enforcement Center on the following date and time:
Administrative Adjudication, Plainfield Law Enforcement Center, 14300 S. Coil Plus Dr., Plainfield:
3:00 p.m. on the Fourth Wednesday of each month
Administrative adjudication hearings are less formal than proceedings held at Branch Court or the Will County Courthouse. These matters are punishable only by an administrative fine established for the alleged violation. Decisions of the hearing officer in administrative adjudications may be appealed pursuant to the Illinois Administrative Review Law, 735 ILCS 5/3-101 et seq.
Any questions regarding a court date, time or location may be directed to either Sarah Hamilton or Shelley Riggs at the telephone numbers identified above. Please be advised that members of the Courts Division cannot modify or change a court date assigned in the Plainfield Branch Court, the Aggravated Traffic Call, or the Administrative Adjudication process.