Judge Neil Cohen has been a Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County for 14 years. In September of 2022, the Illinois Supreme Court elevated him from Associate Judge to Full Circuit Court Judge.
Judge Cohen has been assigned to the General Division since 2011, where he presides over cases dealing with injunctions, business litigation, class actions, trusts, receiverships and administrative reviews.
Judge Cohen has been found qualified or recommended to serve as a judge by all bar associations.
Judge Cohen is a current member of several of the Illinois Supreme Court’s committees, including the Court’s Committee on Judicial Education, Advance Judicial Academy, New Judges Education Committee, Diversity and Inclusion Committee and is a member of the Court’s Historic Preservation Commission.
In the past, Judge Cohen has served as a member of the Illinois Supreme Court’s Executive Committee and Strategic Planning Committee.
In addition, Judge Cohen has taught criminal law and procedure and lectured on 4th Amendment issues as an Adjunct Professor at IIT Chicago-Kent School of Law.
Prior to becoming a judge, Judge Cohen was a prosecutor for 11 years and in private practice for an additional 22 years. He is an active member of the Chicago Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, the Illinois Juvenile Justice Leadership Council, the Illinois Judges Association, the Decalogue Society, the North Suburban Bar Association and is the current President of the Jewish Judges Association.
Notable cases include the granting of injunctive relief requiring the Illinois High School Association to permit the cross-country runners from the Chicago Public Schools compete in the sectionals during the pandemic, requiring the Illinois Dept. of Health to add military veterans suffering from PTSD to the list of those entitled to use medical marijuana; and the forging of a consent decree requiring the Chicago Police Dept. to provide free phones and notices of free legal services to all CPD arrestees.
Judge Cohen looks forward to being elected Circuit Court Judge so that he can continue to serve the people of Cook County and help to implement policies to make our justice system one that is the most fair, equitable, and free from bias that it can be. For Judge Cohen, public service to the community is not just a way of life – it is way to fully live.
www.judgeneilcohen.com
