OCJ - Administrative Hearing Officer

CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY OFFICE OF THE CHIEF JUDGE JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING OFFICER

Division: DOMESTIC RELATIONS DIVISION

Location: RICHARD J. DALEY CENTER, 50 WEST WASHINGTON ST., CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60602

Grade: 21, non-union

Salary: $94,712

The Hearing Officer is employed by the Office of the Chief Judge and reports to the Presiding Judge of the Domestic Relations Division. Hearing Officers are quasi‑judicial and must possess a high degree of integrity, discretion, and professionalism to judges, administrative support staff, litigants, and attorneys.

• Assist Domestic Relations Division judges resolve Parentage and Dissolution of Marriage cases.
• Draft recommended orders after hearings with self‑represented litigants and/or attorneys in conformity with applicable statutes and Supreme Court Rules for the judge to whom the case is assigned.
• Assist self‑represented litigants with prove‑up readiness by providing legal information and preparing agreed orders.
• Maintain up‑to‑date records of assigned cases using the Progress Notes Hearing Office database.
• Conduct hearings efficiently and prepare written recommendations to judges promptly.
• Maintain decorum, professionalism, and impartiality in the hearing room at all times.
• Perform other tasks for the benefit of the Domestic Relations Division as requested by the Presiding Judge.

The duties listed above are not set forth for the purpose of limiting the assignment or work. They are not to be construed as a complete list of the duties to be performed under the job title or those to be performed temporarily outside of an employee's normal line of work.

• Bachelor's Degree and Juris Doctor Degree.
• Active license to practice law in Illinois, with a minimum of three years legal experience.
• Experience with family law, including extensive knowledge of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, the Parentage Act of 2015, Code of Civil Procedures, and Supreme Court Rules.
• Judicial temperament and professional demeanor.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills.
• Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat.
• Professional appearance, dress, demeanor and attitude at all times in the workplace.
• Ability to work well with others and integrate with legal and non‑legal personnel.

• On a continuous basis, ability to sit at a desk for long periods of time in front of a computer screen.
• Ability to work with computer and keyboard over long periods of time on a daily basis.
• Strength to lift files up to 20 pounds.
• Ability to intermittently twist to reach equipment, supplies, files and documents.

This position requires a pre‑employment drug screening and criminal background check. Applicants are advised that as a Drug Free Workplace, use of medical or recreational marijuana is prohibited and will disqualify a candidate from employment.

All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of all required screening criteria.

Information concerning the benefits for this position can be found at the Circuit Court of Cook County Employment Opportunities Page.

Please apply by filling out the application at our Career Page.

It is the policy of the Office of the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County to provide equal opportunity in employment to all employees and applicants for employment. No person is to be discriminated against in employment because of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation.

Revised:
January 2025 (salary update March 2026)