The opinions of the Court of Claims reported herein are published by authority of the provisions of Section 18 of the Court of Claims Act, 705 ILCS 505/1 et seq., formerly Ill. Rev. Stat. 1991, ch. 37, par. 439.1 et seq.The Court of Claims has exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine the following matters: (a) all claims against the State of Illinois founded upon any law of the State, or upon any regulation there under by an executive or administrative officer or agency, other than claims arising under the Workers Compensation Act or the Workers Occupational Diseases Act, or claims for certain expenses in civil litigation, (b) all claims against the State founded upon any contract entered into with the State, (c) all claims against the State for time unjustly served in prisons of this State where the persons imprisoned shall receive a pardon from the Governor stating that such pardon is issued on the grounds of innocence of the crime for which they were imprisoned, (d) all claims against the State in cases sounding in tort, (e) all claims for recoupment made by the State against any Claimant, (f) certain claims to compel replacement of a lost or destroyed State warrant, (g) certain claims based on torts by escaped inmates of State institutions, (h) certain representation and indemnification cases, (i) all claims pursuant to the Law Enforcement Officers, Civil Defense Workers, Civil Air Patrol Members, Paramedics, Firemen & State Employees Compensation Act, (j) all claims pursuant to the Illinois National Guardsman's Compensation Act, and (k) all claims pursuant to the Crime Victims Compensation Act.