Clare Elizabeth McWilliams
Clare E. McWilliams was a judge for the 10th Subcircuit of the Cook County Judicial Circuit Court in Illinois. She left office on July 31, 2023.
McWilliams ran for re-election for the 10th Subcircuit judge of the Cook County Judicial Circuit Court in Illinois. She won in the retention election on November 8, 2022.
Biography
McWilliams earned undergraduate degrees in criminal justice and political science from Eastern Illinois University in 1983, going on to earn her J.D. from John Marshall Law School in 1988.[1] Before becoming a circuit judge in 2004, McWilliams was a private practice attorney.[1]
Elections
2022
See also: Municipal elections in Cook County, Illinois (2022)
Cook County Circuit Court 10th Subcircuit, Clare E. McWilliams's seat
Clare E. McWilliams was retained to the 10th Subcircuit of the Cook County Judicial Circuit Court on November 8, 2022 with 77.9% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✔ | Yes |
77.9
|
867,219 | ||
No |
22.1
|
245,635 | |||
Total Votes |
1,112,854 | ||||
|
|
2016
Judges of the Illinois Circuit Court stand for retention after their first full term. To be retained, a judge must receive at least 60 percent of the vote.[2][3] Clare E. McWilliams was retained in the Illinois Cook Circuit Court, Clare McWilliams Retention Election with 77.13 percent of the vote.
| Illinois Cook Circuit Court, Clare McWilliams Retention Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
 Clare E. McWilliams | 77.13% | |
| Source: Illinois Board of Elections, "Elections Results, General Election 11/8/2016," accessed November 28, 2018 | ||
Selection method
- See also: Partisan elections
There are 513 judges on the Illinois Circuit Court, each elected in partisan elections to six-year terms. Upon the completion of these terms, judges who wish to continue serving must compete in uncontested, nonpartisan retention elections.[4]
The chief judge of each circuit court is selected by peer vote; he or she serves in that capacity indefinitely.[4]
The circuit courts are also served by 391 associate judges, who are limited in that they may not preside over cases in which the defendant is charged with a felony (an offense punishable by one or more years in prison). Associate judges are appointed to four-year terms by circuit judges.[5][4]
Midterm vacancies are filled by Illinois Supreme Court appointment.[4]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:[4]
- a U.S. citizen;
- a circuit/county resident; and
- licensed to practice law in Illinois.
2010
- See also: Illinois judicial elections, 2010
McWilliams was retained in 2010, receiving 77.94 percent of the vote.[6][7]
McWilliams was recommended for retention by the Judicial Performance Commission of Cook County.[8]
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Clare E. McWilliams did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedbio - ↑ Illinois State Bar Association, "Judicial Evaluations - How it works," accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Illinois," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Illinois," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ State of Illinois, "About the Courts in Illinois," accessed June 30, 2014
- ↑ Cook County Clerk, "General Election – Combined Summary Report," November 2, 2010
- ↑ Judicial Performance Commission of Cook County sample ballot (dead link)
- ↑ Judicial Performance Commission of Cook County, "Report on the Judges Seeking Retention on the November 2, 2010 Ballot in Cook County," archived January 30, 2012
Federal courts:
Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Central District of Illinois, Northern District of Illinois, Southern District of Illinois • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Central District of Illinois, Northern District of Illinois, Southern District of Illinois
State courts:
Illinois Supreme Court • Illinois Appellate Court • Illinois Circuit Court
State resources:
Courts in Illinois • Illinois judicial elections • Judicial selection in Illinois
