All three counties are located in rural west central Illinois and are part of the same judicial circuit. Study methodology involved the individual review of felony case files in the three counties for calendar years 1978 and 1979. Data on several variables related to case adjudication were pulled from each case file and recorded. The study was limited to cases involving adult defendants and those for which a formal information or indictment was issued. Evaluation indicated that the courts appear to be characterized by cooperation and accommodation rather than by a competitive atmosphere. Guilty pleas, viewed as advantageous by both prosecution and defense, dominate felony court activities in all locations. Exchange and concessions in the form of plea agreements between the parties exist in nearly all guilty plea dispositions presented to the court. In addition, most defendants in these areas are indigent and are therefore represented by public defenders. It is possible that the nature of rural law enforcement and rural criminal justice, with its relatively slow paced character, may ironically promote the dominance of guilty pleas to a greater extent than do urban law enforcement practices and criminal justice systems. Further exploration and analysis in other rural environments is warranted. Three tables, 1 note, and 11 references are included.