Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 501

As amended through September 23, 2024
Rule 501 - Definitions
(a)Reserved.
(b)Reserved.
(c)Conservation Offense. Any case charging a violation listed below, except any charge punishable upon conviction by imprisonment in the penitentiary:
(1) The Fish and Aquatic Life Code, as amended (515 ILCS 5/1-1et seq.);
(2) The Wildlife Code, as amended (520 ILCS 5/1.1et seq.);
(3) The Boat Registration and Safety Act, as amended (625 ILCS 45/1-1et seq.);
(4) The Park District Code, as amended (70 ILCS 1205/1-1et seq.);
(5) The Chicago Park District Act, as amended (70 ILCS 1505/ 0.01 et seq.);
(6) The State Parks Act, as amended (20 ILCS 835/ 0.01 et seq.);
(7) The State Forest Act, as amended (52. 5 ILCS 40/ 0.01 et seq.);
(8) The Forest Fire Protection District Act, as amended (425 ILCS 40/ 0.01 et seq.);
(9) The Snowmobile Registration and Safety Act, as amended (625 ILCS 40/1-1et seq.);
(10) The Endangered Species Protection Act, as amended (520 ILCS 10/1et seq.);
(11) The Forest Products Transportation Act, as amended (225 ILCS 740/1et seq.);
(12) The Timber Buyers Licensing Act, as amended (225 ILCS 735/1et seq.);
(13) The Downstate Forest Preserve District Act, as amended (70 ILCS 805/ 0.001 et seq.);
(14) The Exotic Weed Act, as amended (525 ILCS 10/1et seq.);
(15) The Ginseng Harvesting Act, as amended (525 ILCS 20/ 0.01 et seq.);
(16) The Cave Protection Act, as amended (525 ILCS 5/1et seq.);
(17) Any regulations, proclamations or ordinances adopted pursuant to any code or act named in this Rule 501(c);
(18) Ordinances adopted pursuant to the Counties Code for the acquisition of property for parks or recreational areas (55 ILCS 5/5-1005(18));
(19) The Recreational Trails of Illinois Act, as amended (20 ILCS 862/1et seq.);
(20) The Herptiles-Herps Act, as amended (510 ILCS 68/1-1et seq.).
(d)Reserved.
(e)Unit of Local Government. Any county, municipality, township, special district, or unit designated as a unit of local government by law.
(f)Traffic Offense.
(1) Any case which charges a violation of any statute, ordinance or regulation relating to the operation or use of motor vehicles, the use of streets and highways by pedestrians or the operation of any other wheeled or tracked vehicle. Traffic cases are classified as follows:
(i) "Major Traffic Offense'' means a traffic offense under the Toll Highway Act (605 ILCS 10/1et seq.), Illinois Vchicle Code (625 ILCS 571 -100 et seq.), or a similar provision of a local ordinance other than a petty offense or business offense that is punishable by a term of imprisonment of less than one year.
(ii) "Minor Traffic Offense" means a petty offense or business offense under the Toll Highway Act (605 ILCS 10/1et seq.), Child Passenger Protection Act (625 ILCS 25/1et seq.), Illinois Vehicle Code (625 ILCS 5/1-100et seq.), or a similar provision of a local ordinance.
(2) A traffic offense does not include a case in which a ticket was served by "tie-on," "hang-on," or "appended" methods and cases charging violations of:
(i) Article I of chapter 4 of the Illinois V chicle Code, as amended (anti-theft laws) (625 ILCS 5/4-100et seq.);
(ii) Any charge punishable upon conviction by imprisonment in the penitentiary:
(iii) "Jay-walking" ordinances of any unit of local government;
(iv) Any conservation offense (see Rule 501(c)).
(g)Notice to appear. An option allowing release by a written request issued by a peace officer that a person appear before a court at a stated time and place (725 ILCS 5/107-1(c)).

Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 501

Amended eff. 10/7/1970; amended Jan. 31, 1972, eff. 3/1/1972; amended Feb. 17, 1977, eff. 4/1/1977, in counties other than Cook, eff. 7/1/1977, in Cook County; amended Dec. 22, 1981, eff. 1/15/1982; amended April 27, 1984, eff. 7/1/1984; amended March 27, 1985, eff. 5/1/1985; amended June 26, 1987, eff. 8/1/1987; amended June 19, 1989, eff. 8/1/1989; amended Dec. 7, 1990, eff. 1/1/1991; amended June 12, 1992, eff. 7/1/1992; amended May 24, 1995, eff. 1/1/1996; amended Sept. 30, immediately; amended 6/11/2009, eff. immediately; amended Aug. 6, 2010, eff. 9/15/2010; amended Dec. 12, 2013, eff. 1/1/2014; amended June 11, 2014; eff. 7/1/2014; amended Dec. 30, 2014, eff. 1/1/2015; amended 10/15/2015, eff. immediately; amended Dec. 29, 2017, eff. 1/1/2018; amended Dec. 10, 2018, eff. 1/1/2019; amended Mar. 8, 2019, eff. 7/1/2019; amended Feb. 6, 2020, eff. 3/1/2020; amended June 9, 2020, eff. 7/1/2020; amended Oct. 27, 2022, eff. 1/1/2023; amended July 18, 2023, eff. 9/18/2023.

Committee Comments

(June 11, 2009)

Paragraph (b) The Committee defines a credit card or debit card as follows: any instrument or device whether known as a credit card, secured credit card, charge plate, prepaid card, debit card, automated teller machine card, smart card or by any other name issued, with or without fee, by an issuer for the use of the card holder, to obtain credit, money, goods, services, or anything else of value. (Source: Illinois Credit Card and Debit Card Act ( 720 ILCS 250/2.03, 2.15) and Local Governmental Acceptance of Credit Cards Act ( 50 ILCS 345/10)). The Committee defines "electronic fund transfer" as a nonpaper transaction that is electronically processed for the purpose of instructing or authorizing a financial institution to debit an account for the purpose of posting bail consistent with these rules.