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Heidi A. Benson
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Heidi A. Benson is a judge for the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Illinois. She was elected in the general election on November 8, 2016.
Benson was previously an associate judge on the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Illinois.[1] She was appointed to that position in 2011 to fill the seat vacated by Judge Steven R. Bordner and reappointed in 2015.[2][3][4]
Elections
2016
Illinois held general elections for local judicial offices on November 8, 2016. Heidi A. Benson defeated David Hansen in the Illinois Ninth Circuit Court general election.
| Illinois Ninth Circuit Court, Stewart Vacancy, General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Heidi A. Benson |
57.09% | 39,128 | |
| Democratic | David Hansen | 42.91% | 29,411 | |
| Total Votes | 68,539 | |||
| Source: Illinois State Board of Elections, "Election Results General Election - 11/8/2016," accessed April 10, 2017 | ||||
Illinois held a primary election for local judicial offices on March 15, 2016.[5] Heidi A. Benson ran unopposed in the Illinois Ninth Circuit Court Republican Primary.[6]
| Illinois Ninth Circuit Court, Stewart Vacancy, Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Heidi A. Benson (unopposed) |
100.00% | 18,879 |
| Total Votes | 18,879 | |
| Source: Illinois State Board of Elections, "Primary Election Results: Judicial," accessed June 13, 2016 | ||
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.[7]
The chief judge of each circuit court is selected by peer vote; he or she serves in that capacity indefinitely.[7]
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.[8][7]
Midterm vacancies are filled by Illinois Supreme Court appointment.[7]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:[7]
- a U.S. citizen;
- a circuit/county resident; and
- licensed to practice law in Illinois.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Illinois Courts, "Ninth Judicial Circuit Associate Judges," accessed June 18, 2015
- ↑ Daily Review Atlas, "Benson Appointed as Associate Judge," January 5, 2011
- ↑ Illinois Courts, "Press Release: Administrative Director Declares Three Hundred Seventy-Eight Illinois Associate Judges Reappointed for another Four Year Term," June 10, 2011
- ↑ Illinois State Bar Association, "376 of 384 Illinois associate judges reappointed for another 4-year term," June 11, 2015
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "2016 Election Schedule and Registration Deadlines," accessed October 26, 2016
- ↑ Illinois Judges, "Announced Vacancies for the Primary and General Elections 2016," accessed December 21, 2015
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Illinois," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ State of Illinois, "About the Courts in Illinois," accessed June 30, 2014
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
