Rules 585 through 590 are applicable to civil law violations, pursuant to section 4(a) of the Cannabis Control Act (720 ILCS 550/4 (a)).
Rule 585.Applicability
Article V. Rules on Trial Court Proceedings in Traffic and Conservation Offenses, Ordinance Offenses, Petty Offenses, Misdemeanors, and Civil Law Violations · Part F. Rules and Procedures for Civil Law Violations · Last amended 2023 · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceRule 585 limits Rules 585 through 590 to a narrow category — civil law violations under the Cannabis Control Act — and keeps them separate from traffic, conservation, or general ordinance cases.
Full Text of Ill. S. Ct. R. 585
Plain-English Summary
“Civil law violation” is a specific term here, not a catch-all. Rule 585 confines Rules 585 through 590 to citations issued under section 4(a) of the Cannabis Control Act — the provision that treats certain low-level cannabis offenses as fine-only civil matters rather than criminal charges.
This category stands apart from everything else in Article V. It isn't a traffic or conservation offense under Rule 501, and it isn't a municipal ordinance violation under Part E. Like ordinance violations, though, these citations can sometimes be resolved through administrative adjudication instead of these court rules, depending on how the citation was issued.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a 'civil law violation' under Rule 585?
A fine-only citation issued under section 4(a) of the Cannabis Control Act, treated as a civil matter rather than a criminal charge.
Does this cover traffic or parking tickets?
No, Rules 585 through 590 apply only to this specific Cannabis Control Act category.
Is a civil law violation the same as an ordinance violation?
No, it's its own category governed by its own rules, separate from the ordinance-violation rules in Part E.
Can a local administrative hearing handle this instead?
Some citations may go through administrative adjudication rather than these court rules, depending on how they're issued.
Does a civil law violation result in a criminal record?
It's processed as a civil citation with a set fine, not a criminal conviction.
Committee Comments
(September 18, 2023)
Committee comments below are retained to memorialize the history of Rule 585 for reference.
(Revised June 9, 2020)
Rules 585 through 590 apply to civil law violations pursuant to section 4(a) of the Cannabis Control Act (720 ILCS 550/4 (a)), which are punishable by a fine only. Nothing in these rules is intended to limit the ability to proceed through an administrative process or other alternative methods of resolving ordinance violations for similar offenses.
Rules 503 and 551, regarding multiple charges under these rules, do not apply to Civil Law Violations or if a citation is written in conjunction with another violation.
Rule 585 excludes from these rules ordinance violations heard by the administrative adjudication process.
Amendment History
Adopted Sept. 1, 2016, eff. immediately; amended June 9, 2020, eff. July 1, 2020; amended Oct. 27, 2022, eff. Sept. 18, 2023.
Source & verification. Rule text, official Committee Comments, and
amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Supreme Court Rules,
promulgated by the Supreme Court of Illinois. Last verified July 20, 2026.
· Official source
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