Justice (Ret.) Mathias W. Delort is a former member of the Illinois Appellate Court, First District where he heard appeals from all divisions of the Circuit Court of Cook County. During his tenure on that court, he authored over 700 opinions and dispositional orders. He also served as presiding justice of several divisions and as chair of the court’s Mediation Committee. Justice Delort now serves as a mediator, arbitrator, Special Master, Discovery Referee and Appellate Consultant. He concentrates his mediation practice on the resolution of complex commercial matters including:
- Contract Disputes
- Banking
- Finance
- Land Use and Zoning
- Real Estate
- Securities
- Insurance Coverage
- Government Disputes
- Personal Injury
- Discovery Disputes
- Freedom of Information
- Open Meetings Act
- Technology Disputes
- Uninsured / Underinsured Coverage
- Premises Liability
- Construction Accidents / Defects
- Legal Malpractice
- Accounting Malpractice
- Class Actions
- Employment Disputes
- Commercial / Business Litigation
Before joining the Appellate Court, Justice Delort served as an Associate Judge in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Chancery Division, where he presided over a docket consisting of over 8,000 pending mortgage foreclosure and real estate lien cases. While on that court, he issued over 100 written opinions primarily in the areas of banking, civil procedure, and commercial law. He also drafted a 200-page bench book on mortgage foreclosure law which is now used by judges across the State of Illinois.
Professional Experience
Mediator/Arbitrator/Special Master, Resolute Systems, LLC (September 2023-present).
Justice, Illinois Appellate Court, First District (Cook County) (December, 2012 – September 2023) – heard appeals from all divisions of the Circuit Court of Cook County, researched and drafted opinions, orders, dissents and related judicial documents; served as presiding justice of several divisions
Adjunct Professor, The John Marshall Law School (2007 – 2013), taught courses on local government law, and on voting rights/election law
Associate Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County, IL (April, 2007 – December, 2012) – Assigned to Chancery Division (May, 2007 – December, 2012)
Attorney at Law, Robbins, Schwartz, Nicholas, Lifton & Taylor, Ltd., Chicago (shareholder/partner 2002 – 2007, associate 1998 – 2001) – practice concentrated in representation of local governments, public school districts and community colleges, and election law – served as chairman of firm’s Local Government Practice Group and of the firm’s Library and Technology Committee
Attorney at Law, Odelson & Sterk, Ltd., Evergreen Park (partner 1995 – 1998, associate 1988 – 1995) – practice concentrated in representation of local governments, public school districts, and election law
Attorney at Law, Law Offices of Mathias W. Delort, Chicago (1985 – 1988) – general practice with concentration in election law
Education
- Master of Public Administration, University of Illinois, 2017
- JD, University of Illinois Chicago Law School, 1985
- BS, cum laude, DePaul University, 1981
Publications
- Tips for Effective Appellate Advocacy, CHICAGO BAR ASSOCIATION RECORD (July/August 2023)
- Federal Court Halts New Judicial Campaign Donation Law, ILLINOIS JUDGES ASSOCIATION ALERT (October 2022)
- New Election Law Targets Judicial Campaign Fundraising, ILLINOIS JUDGES ASSOCIATION THE GAVEL (January 2022)
- Rules of the Appellate Court of Illinois, First Judicial District, ILLINOIS APPELLATE COURT (May 2021)
- Working Remotely as an Appellate Justice, CHICAGO BAR ASSOCIATION RECORD (June 2020)
- Luddites Beware: Appellate Court Practice in the Electronic Age, CHICAGO BAR ASSOCIATION RECORD (April 2019)
- So, You Want to Become a Judicial Law Clerk? CHICAGO BAR ASSOCIATION RECORD (October 2018)
- Federal Court Upholds Judicial Ethics Rules, ILLINOIS JUDGES ASSOCIATION THE GAVEL (July 2018)
- Administrative Office of Illinois Courts Mortgage Foreclosure Bench Book (Editor-in-Chief and primary author) (2018)
- U. S. Supreme Court Approves Ban on Judges Soliciting Campaign Contributions, ILLINOIS JUDGES ASSOCIATION THE GAVEL (July 2015)
- Three Years and Counting: the Illinois Judicial Privacy Act in Operation, ILLINOIS JUDGES ASSOCIATION THE GAVEL (January 2015)
- Supreme Court Adopts New Foreclosure Rules, ILLINOIS STATE BAR ASSOCIATION BENCH AND BAR NEWSLETTER (May 2013)
- Circuit Court of Cook County Mortgage Foreclosure Bench Book (June, 2011; 2013 supp.)
- Book Review – The Illinois State Constitution: A Reference Guide, by Ann Lousin, CHICAGO BAR ASSOCIATION RECORD (June – July 2010)
- Book Review – Battleground Chicago: The Police and the 1968 Democratic National Convention, by Frank Kusch, CHICAGO BAR ASSOCIATION RECORD (October 2008)
- Motions to Stay Foreclosure Sales: A Practical Approach, CHICAGO BAR ASSOCIATION RECORD (May 2008)
- Police and Fire Pension Administration (chapter author), MUNICIPAL LAW (IICLE 2007, 2008 supp., 2012)
- Municipal Elections, (chapter co-author), MUNICIPAL LAW (IICLE 2000, 2005, 2008 supp., 2012)
- Curfew Ordinances and Regulating the Activities of Minors, MUNICIPAL LAWYER, (March-April 2006)
- School Elections (chapter co-author), SCHOOL LAW (IICLE 2005, 2012)
- Referenda, Election Day Administration and Municipal Elections (chapter co-author), ELECTION LAW (IICLE 2002, 2005 supp., 2007, 2009 supp., 2012)
- Election Law (editor-in-chief) (IICLE 2002, 2005 supp., 2007, 2009 supp., 2012, 2016, 2020)
- Municipal Redistricting: Are You in Compliance? ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE REVIEW (April 2002)
- The Role of Campaign Finance and Political Partisanship on Minority Voter Access and Participation, INTERNATIONAL MUNICIPAL LAWYERS ASSOCIATION (September 2001)
- City’s Persistent Failure to Transmit Tax Levy Results in Novel Judicial Remedy, ILLINOIS POLICE AND FIRE PENSION FUND NEWSLETTER (May 2000)
- The Illinois Ethics and Gift Ban Act, ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE REVIEW (August 1999)
- Township Clerks’ Handbook (editor-in-chief), ILLINOIS TOWNSHIP CLERKS ASSOCIATION (1999, 2004)
- Recounts and Election Contests, (chapter co-author), ELECTION LAW (IICLE 1991, 1995, 1998 supp.)
Awards & Affiliations
- Member, ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT JUDICIAL SECURITY AND SAFETY COMMITTEE, 2022-present
- Catholic Lawyer of the Year, CATHOLIC LAWYERS GUILD, October, 2023
- First District Chair, ILLINOIS JUDGES ASSOCIATION JUDICIAL SECURITY AND SAFETY COMMITTEE, 2022-2023
- Member, ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT E-BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, 2022-present
- Presidential Service Award, ILLINOIS JUDGES ASSOCIATION, December 2021
- Robert J. Mangler Distinguished Service Award for Lifetime Achievement, ILLINOIS LOCAL GOVERNMENT LAWYERS ASSOCIATION, February 2020
- Chair, ILLINOIS APPELLATE COURT MEDIATION COMMITTEE, First District, 2019 – 2020
- Member, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF ILLINOIS COURTS BENCHBOOK EDITORIAL BOARD, 2017-2023
- Judge Howard Markey award for outstanding judicial service, THE JOHN MARSHALL LAW SCHOOL, November, 2017
- Member, PI ALPHA ALPHA NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY for Public Administration, 2017
- “Court of Honor” award for outstanding judicial service, CHICAGO VOLUNTEER LEGAL SERVICES, April, 2012
- Member, ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE COMMITTEE, 2011 – 2014
- Member, ILLINOIS APPELLATE LAWYERS ASSOCIATION, 2011 – present
- Local Government Fellow, INTERNATIONAL MUNICIPAL LAWYERS ASSOCIATION; first Illinois attorney to ever receive this designation, which is granted by examination, 2004 – 2009
- “Super Lawyer”, Cities and Municipalities Law, LAW & POLITICS MAGAZINE, 2006
- “Leading Lawyer”, CHICAGO LAW BULLETIN PUBLISHING COMPANY, 2006
- Annual Litigation Award, ILLINOIS INSTITUTE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT LAW, 2007
- Member, Board of Directors, ILLINOIS JUDGES ASSOCIATION, 2010 – 2016
- Member, Board of Directors, CHICAGO CATHOLIC LAWYERS GUILD, 2011 – present
- Member, CHICAGO BAR ASSOCIATION, 1984 – present
- Member, INTERNATIONAL MUNICIPAL LAWYERS ASSOCIATION, 1998 – 2007
- Member, INTERNATIONAL MENSA SOCIETY, 1970 – present
- Distinguished Service Award, ILLINOIS TOWNSHIP CLERKS ASSOCIATION, 2004
- Past Chairman, Constitutional, Election and Local Government Law committees, CHICAGO BAR ASSOCIATION
- Legal Eagle Award for Pro Bono Litigation, INDEPENDENT VOTERS OF ILLINOIS/INDEPENDENT PRECINCT ORGANIZATION, 1992
- Member, Board of Managers, CHICAGO BAR ASSOCIATION, 2000 – 2002
- Chairman, VILLAGE OF EVERGREEN PARK ZONING BOARD, 1996 – 1998
- Member, VILLAGE OF EVERGREEN PARK ZONING BOARD, 1994 – 1996
- Member, Home Rule Attorneys Committee, ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, 1990 – 2007
- Member, Advisory Committee, PROJECT LEAP (Legal Elections in All Precincts), 1990 – 2000
- Member and Subcommittee Chair, COOK COUNTY CLERK DAVID ORR’S COMMITTEE ON MOTOR VOTER IMPLEMENTATION, 1994
- Member, ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS TASK FORCE ON VOTER REGISTRATION THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES, 1993 (as designee of Project LEAP – Legal Elections in All Precincts)
- Chair, Election Law Committee, Young Lawyers Section, CHICAGO BAR ASSOCIATION, 1986-1987
- President, NORTH TOWN COMMUNITY COUNCIL, 1985 – 1987
- Member, Faculty Promotion Board, Mathematics Department, DePAUL UNIVERSITY, 1980 – 1981
- Board Member, NORTH TOWN COMMUNITY COUNCIL, 1979 – 1988 (Also served as Treasurer and Chair of Youth, By-Laws and Budget Committees and as the Council’s representative to the North Town Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Truman College Council, Chicago Board of Education District 2 Advisory Council, and 20th District Police Steering Committee)
