West Cook News

Anderson initially joined the Village of Oak Park as an administrative law judge in 2008. He became the Director of Adjudication two years later in 2010.

In his director role, Anderson guided the Village’s Office of Adjudication, which hears a wide range of cases involving violations of municipal ordinances. The process strives to expedite resolutions, reduce litigation expenses, and offer greater convenience for residents and visitors who wish to contest a ticket or citation.

“On behalf of the Village of Oak Park, we are thankful for the service that Robert poured into the community day in and day out,” said Village Manager Kevin J. Jackson. “His successful oversight of our adjudication services has been a benefit to all of us. We wish Robert and his family many years of health and happiness ahead as they embark on their next chapter.”

In addition to helping the administrative adjudication process run smoothly, Anderson’s accomplishments include the creation of a Youth Night Court which seeks nonpunitive outcomes and provides needed services such as counseling for youth that have received citations from the Village. The process was one of the first in Illinois to handle youth matters in a restorative justice manner. In administering the night hearings, the Adjudication Office works closely with providers such as the Oak Park Township’s Family and Youth Services Office.

Beginning in 2023, Anderson established a Youth Martial Arts Camp overseen by the Office of Adjudication. Beyond focusing on physical fitness and various martial arts skills, the camp also aims to help educate kids about different forms of conflict resolution. That same year, he also fostered an internship program for the Office of Adjudication, bringing in college students from the University of Illinois Chicago to assist day-to-day operations. The program’s first intern with the Village graduated from UIC in December 2023 and has since been hired full-time as a Community Service Officer within the Oak Park Police Department.

Prior to his arrival at the Village, Anderson served as a hearing officer for Chicago Public Schools from 2007-08 and as an attorney in private practice for over 15 years. He has a law degree from DePaul University College of Law and an undergraduate degree from Roosevelt University.

For more information about the Office of Adjudication, visit www.oak-park.us/adjudication, call 708.358.5630 or email adjudication@oak-park.us.

The Village of Oak Park is located just nine miles west of downtown Chicago and offers a distinctive urban/suburban lifestyle in a thriving multi-cultural community known for its progressive values, tree-lined streets, bustling business districts, convenient access to local and regional transit, high-quality public schools, arts and cultural attractions including Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and studio, and Unity Temple which was recently designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.