U.S. Bankruptcy Court District of Illinois

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court District of Illinois is divided into the Northern, Central, and Southern Districts.  At Bankruptcy.blog, I break down what each district covers, how trustees operate within them, and what Illinois-specific exemptions might apply to your case.

Whether you’re looking for trustee details, exemption guidance, or courtroom locations, this page is your front door to navigating bankruptcy in the Land of Lincoln. See below for additional information on the U.S. Bankruptcy Court District of Illinois.

Updated on July 7, 2026.

By Alexander Hernandez, J.D., Professor, and Author of Consumer Bankruptcy Law (Routledge).

Central District of Illinois

Peoria Location:

U.S. Bankruptcy Court
Central District of Illinois
100 N.E. Monroe Street
Room 216
Peoria IL 61602

Fax: 309-671-7076

Cases from the following counties listed are to be filed in the Peoria divisional office. Bureau, Fulton, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Knox, Marshall, McDonough, Mercer, Peoria, Putnam, Rock Island, Stark, Tazewell,  Warren, and Woodford.

Meetings of Creditors:

The U.S. Trustee Program has implemented virtual § 341 meetings of creditors in chapter 7, 12, and 13 cases in the Central District of Illinois for § 341 meetings in cases filed on or after September 1, 2023. For more information, including joining a meeting and what documents to provide to the trustee prior to the meeting, click here.

Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge Peter W. Henderson

Chief Judge Henderson and his staff may be reached at:

U.S. Bankruptcy Court
Central District of Illinois
100 N.E. Monroe Street
Peoria IL 61602

Phone:  309-671-7075

United States Bankruptcy Judge William v. Alternberger

U.S. Bankruptcy Court
Central District of Illinois
100 N.E. Monroe Street
Peoria IL 61602

Phone:  309-671-7290

United States Bankruptcy Judge Mary P. Gorman

Judge Gorman and her chambers staff may be
reached at:

U.S. Bankruptcy Court
Central District of Illinois
600 E. Monroe Street
Springfield IL 62701

Phone: 217-492-4566

United States Bankruptcy Judge Thomas L. Perkins

Judge Perkins and his staff may be reached at:

U.S. Bankruptcy Court
Central District of Illinois
100 N.E. Monroe Street
Peoria IL 61602

Phone: 309-573-0358

Springfield Location:

U.S. Bankruptcy Court
Central District of Illinois
600 E. Monroe Street
Room 226
Springfield IL 62701

Fax:  217-492-4556

Cases from the counties listed below are to be filed in the Springfield divisional office. Adams, Brown, Cass, Christian, DeWitt, Greene, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Mason, McLean, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, Pike, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, and Shelby.

Urbana Location:

201 South Vine Street
Room 203
Urbana, IL 61802
Phone: (217) 974-7330

The following counties are part of the Urbana Divisional Office: Champaign, Coles, Douglas, Edgar, Ford, Iroquois, Kankakee, Livingston, Moultrie, Piatt, and Vermilion.

United States Bankruptcy Court Northern District of Illinois

The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois is a part of the 7th Circuit (along with Wisconsin and Indiana). The Northern District of Illinois is comprised of two divisions and covers eighteen counties. Below are the counties that are part of the Eastern and Western Divisions.

Eastern Division: Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane, Will, Grundy, LaSalle, and Kendall.

Western Division: Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, JoDaviess, Lee, McHenry, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside, and Winnebago.

Chief Judge Jacqueline P. Cox
Location and Contact Information
Courtroom 680
Chambers: (312) 435-5679
Courtroom Deputy: (312) 435-5651 Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse
219 South Dearborn Street
Chambers 676
Chicago, IL 60604

Staff Information
Courtroom Deputy Judicial Assistant Law Clerk
Josephine Green Sylvia Stallworth Madeleine Coate

Judge Janet S. Baer
Location and Contact Information
Courtroom 615
Chambers: (312) 435-6054
Courtroom Deputy: (312) 435-5653 Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse
219 South Dearborn Street
Chambers 662
Chicago, IL 60604

Staff Information
Courtroom Deputy Law Clerks
Alex Dragonetti Naomi Kogan Dein
Zachary Sparcella

Judge Timothy A. Barnes
Location and Contact Information
Courtroom 744
Chambers: (312) 435-5646
Courtroom Deputy: (312) 435-5647 Everett McKinley Dirksen

United States Courthouse
219 South Dearborn Street
Chambers 748
Chicago, IL 60604

Staff Information
Courtroom Deputy Law Clerk Law Clerk
Annette McClendon Sydney Cathcart Jeffrey Garrett

Judge Donald R. Cassling
Location and Contact Information
Courtroom 619
Chambers: (312) 435-6056
Courtroom Deputy: (312) 435-7576 Everett McKinley Dirksen

United States Courthouse
219 South Dearborn Street
Chambers 656
Chicago, IL 60604

Staff Information
Courtroom Deputy Law Clerks
Shanda Rodriguez Susan M. Pistorius
Christopher Pullman

Judge David D. Cleary
Location and Contact Information
Courtroom 644
Chambers: (312) 435-5534
Courtroom Deputy: (312) 435-5535 Everett McKinley Dirksen

United States Courthouse
219 South Dearborn Street
Chambers 648
Chicago, IL 60604

Staff Information
Courtroom Deputy Law Clerk Law Clerk
Steven Beckerman Benjamin Crumm Debbie Silverstein

Judge A. Benjamin Goldgar
Location and Contact Information
Courtroom 642
Chambers: (312) 435-5642
Courtroom Deputy: (312) 435-5531 Everett McKinley Dirksen

United States Courthouse
219 South Dearborn Street
Chambers 638
Chicago, IL 60604

Staff Information
Courtroom Deputy Law Clerks
Nancy Castellano Kim Krawczyk
Dina Kostrow

Judge Thomas M. Lynch
Location and Contact Information
Courtroom 3100
Chambers: (815) 987-4366
Courtroom Deputy: (779) 772-8619
Law Clerk John Hardison: (779) 772-8618
Law Clerk Paul Maurer: (779) 772-8616

U.S. Courthouse
327 South Church Street
Chambers 4100
Rockford, IL 61101

Staff Information
Courtroom Deputy Law Clerks
Mimi Kuczynski John Hardison
Paul Maurer

Judge Deborah L. Thorne
Location and Contact Information
Courtroom 682
Chambers: (312) 706-1805
Courtroom Deputy: (312) 435-5645 Everett McKinley Dirksen

United States Courthouse
219 South Dearborn Street
Chambers 600
Chicago, IL 60604

Staff Information
Courtroom Deputy Judicial Assistant Law Clerk
Lester Smith, Jodi Bennett, Amelia Quardokus

United States Bankruptcy Court Southern District of Illinois

The following counties are part of the Southern District: Alexander, Bond, Calhoun, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Crawford, Cumberland, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jersey, Johnson, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Massac, Monroe, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Richland, Saline, St. Clair, Union, Wabash, Washington, Wayne, White, Williamson.

Court Locations
East St. Louis
United States Bankruptcy Court
Melvin Price Federal Courthouse
750 Missouri Ave.
East St. Louis, IL 62201
(618)482-9400

Benton
United States Bankruptcy Court
Federal Courthouse
301 West Main Street
Benton, IL 62812
(618)435-2200

This article is part of Bankruptcy.blog’s comprehensive coverage of Illinois bankruptcy practice, providing filers with essential trustee contact information alongside a clear explanation of the state’s exemption system and how it applies in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cases.

Educational Resources

• For Institutions: Colleges and universities may request examination copies of my textbook directly from Routledge Publishing.
• For Students & Practitioners: Single print and digital copies are available via Amazon Books.
• Video Lectures: Stream comprehensive legal breakdowns and video explanations on the Bankruptcy.blog YouTube Channel.

Bankruptcy Court & Consumer Resources

Explore additional consumer guides and state-specific directories to navigate your legal options:

• A step-by-step master guide to completing and understanding the bankruptcy petition.
• Bankruptcy Court Directory: Full listings for the federal bankruptcy court system and trustee contact information.
• State Bankruptcy Exemptions: Review your state‑specific exemptions or compare them with the federal exemptions.
• 341 Meeting Procedures: Prepare for your court date with updated rules, expectations, and practical guidance.

Please note that the information on this site does not constitute legal advice and should be considered for informational purposes only.