Rule 570 Applicability

(December 7, 2011) Rules 570 through 579 apply to the prosecution of ordinance violations not punishable by a jail term and other than traffic and conservation offenses. These rules also apply to parking offenses. Violations of ordinances punishable by a jail term are to be prosecuted in accordance with the rules of criminal procedure. 65 ILCS 5/1-2-1.1. Nothing in these rules is intended to limit the ability to proceed through an administrative process or other alternative methods of resolving ordinance violations. Rule 570 establishes the applicability of the ordinance violation prosecutions which are prosecuted through the judicial system to ordinances passed pursuant to the Counties Code (55 ILCS 5/5-1113 (ordinance and rules to execute powers; limitations on punishments)), the Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS 5/1-3-1 (ordinances and rules; fines or penalties; limitations on punishment)), and home rule authority where the penalty does not include jail time. Rule 570 would exclude from these rules ordinance violations heard by the administrative adjudication process.